Season 2: The Empire Cracks Down
by 1-1 Marines
Summary: Lame title, I know. Warning: Spoilers ahead for those who haven't read my previous stories or watched Season 1 of Rebels or TCW, plus Season 2 I guess. Rated T for dialogue and scenes.
1. The Emperor's Response

**ME: Time for a little headcanon of mine. May or may not be a bit AU depending on Season 2; probably the former, but overall canon compliant with Season 1.**

Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, Regional Governor of the Outer Rim, was not a happy man.

He had to deal with the incompetence exhibited by the Lothal Sector Command; in spite of both Brigadier General Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau and a Pau'an High Inquisitor (for whatever reason, Vader had neglected to provide him with a name and the Utapaun hadn't been forthcoming with his colleagues on Lothal, even if Tarkin himself didn't care to learn his name), the latter of whom was responsible for coordinating operations of the Imperial Inquisition in the Outer Rim, the local rebel terrorists had continually evaded capture or death. As a result, Tarkin had been sent in by order of His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Sheev Palpatine, himself, distracting him from both governance of his domain and the Death Star.

Because of this, the Eriaduan official did not hesitate to verbally reprimand Planetary Minister Maketh Tua (who, to be fair, was not a military governor like himself or Arihnda Pryce, who had spent far too much time off-world and delegated her responsibilies to the point of it being borderline dereliction of duty), the Inquisitor, and Agent Kallus in front of an assembly of troops for their incompetence. He was outright grateful for the existence of the inept Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel in command of the local Imperial Academy (a junior institution that only trained cadets for a year before they went on to senior ones), Commandant Cumberlayne Aresko and Taskmaster Myles Grint, because their executions were senior enough to warn the main three Lothalian Imperials he was concerned with but low enough to be disposable. In fact, rather than have them court-martialed and executed in a traditional manner (hanging, decapitation, a firing squad, etc), he had specifically ordered the Inquisitor to do it to drive it home for the Pau'an agent.

Unfortunately, even though he had successfully captured the leader of the Lothal cell, his trap had enabled them to air anti-Imperial propaganda beyond even the Lothal system and cost the Empire the tower they had broadcasted it from. Worse, the _Imperial I_ -class Star Destroyer _Sovereign_ (he had temporarily transferred his flag from the _Executrix_ for security reasons) had been lost after the rebels had infiltrated the ship and escaped with their leader, Kanan Jarrus (confirmed via DNA analysis to be a former Padawan named Caleb Dume, apprentice of the late Jedi Master Depa Billaba); the Inquisitor was undoubtedly dead now as well, and all of this would be blamed on Tarkin. The only bright side was the fact the rebels had gotten reinforcements, which confirmed the existence of a wider network-at the cost of an opportunity to finally destroy the Lothalian cell.

"Sir," the scanning officer said, "we've detected an ISD in hyperspace. It should revert to real space in t-minus thirty seconds."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Tarkin replied. Not giving at least the illusion of courtesy would make the men and women of the _Executrix_ question his capabilities, and he couldn't have that. Not now.

As promised, in less than half a minute another Star Destroyer exited hyperspace.

"Sir..." A pregnant pause. "Governor Tarkin, sir, it appears the Star Destroyer is the Devastator."

"Lord Tion's flagship?" Tion was a Rear Admiral and member of the House of Tion, a noble family that was allied with Tarkin's own (albeit non-aristocratic while still elite) kin and controlled the Tion Hegemony, a sector in the Outer Rim (in fact, the head of the House was the local Moff).

"Yes, sir," the young woman at the station replied. The real question, however, was why had the Emperor sent him of all people to the Mustafar system.

"Grand Moff, we're receiving a transmission from the Devastator now," said the Lieutenant in charge of communications, this one a young male officer who looked about the same age as the female one.

"Put it through, Lieutenant," he ordered.

The holoprojector displayed the freshly promoted Captain Jhared Montferrat, a man with brown hair and gray eyes Tion had mentioned earlier.

"Grand Moff Tarkin, sir," the Captain began, "Lord Tion requests permission to board your flagship. He will come via shuttle, Governor."

"Very well, Captain," Tarkin answered. "Thank you for informing me of this, Lord Tion may depart immediately. Tarkin out."

The Grand Moff immediately headed for the hangar bay, escorted by a pair of his personal Stormtrooper guards. Various sailors toiled away, while Imperial Navy troopers (responsible for policing and defending vessels alongside the Stormtrooper Corps of the Imperial Army) watched over their noncombatant counterparts.

Uniquely enough, Tarkin reflected, apart from his personal bodyguards no Army personnel served aboard the _Executrix_. Not even a single walker was aboard, by order of the Emperor-officially it was due to scarce resources and the lack of need for Tarkin's flagship to perform planetary assaults, but more likely it was to minimize his own power base.

 _No, my Emperor; I will_ **NOT** _be foolish enough to betray you without even the Death Star complete._

Eventually a _Lambda_ -class shuttle came into view. Regardless of whether or not Tion supported his doctrine, he would always travel in style.

The ramp lowered. Tion came down.

"Greetings, my friend-."

Tarkin stopped speaking the moment he heard the mechanical breathing of a respirator.

"Hello, Governor Tarkin."

The voice was feminine, but no sane man would want to hear it. It belonged to Barriss Offee, a Mirialan High Inquisitor.

Lady Offee (or, to the more foolish, "Lady Vader") was Lord Vader's top and most favored lieutenant. Unlike the rest of the Jedi (and Vader, who he suspected was Anakin Skywalker but didn't dare ask to confirm), she already had exposed herself as a traitor during the second year of the Clone Wars by bombing the Temple, now the Imperial Palace. She confessed after framing Ahsoka Tano, Skywalker's Padawan, and was sentenced to life imprisonment (similar to Separatist war criminal Foreman Wat Tambor of the Techno Union, who was able to escape but executed after the war-rumor was it was Lord Vader himself who killed him). After Order 66, her records were purged and she became one of the founding members of the Imperial Inquisition.

"Lady Offee," he greeted in return, confident his status would keep Vader's lackey at bay. "Lord Vader, I sent a report-."

Vader interrupted with a, "Details of your incompetence do not interest me, Governor Tarkin. They infuriate me and our Emperor."

A mobile holoprojector like the one used by the Neimoidian Viceroy Nute Gunray came into view. "I agree, Lord Vader. Governor, your blunders have cost us troops, an expensive ship, and an Inquisitor. Lord Vader, I'm sure you and our good friend Lady Offee will punish Tarkin in my steed. Isn't that right, my friend?"

"Yes, my Master," Vader replied.

Just as he said that, Offee raised her right hand and smacked Tarkin's left cheek.

The Governor was infuriated, more by her audacity than anything else (though it did sting). _How dare some pet of Vader strike me-._

Suddenly he found himself choking. Vader was now squeezing his throat with the Force, and Tarkin could not stop him at all.

Just when the Regional Governor felt all was over, Palpatine said, "Release him, Lord Vader."

"As you wish, my master."

The hologram disappeared, and Tarkin glared at Vader as he began to breathe normally again. "My actions were performed to the best of my ability, Lord Vader."

"Not good enough then, Tarkin. Am I right, Lady Offee?"

Tarkin didn't even bother listening to her answer; he just glanced at Tion, who was shocked beyond belief.

"Sergeant, see to it that the Governor is taken to the medbay before confining him to his quarters. Until further notice, he has no authority for the duration of our voyage to Lothal."

"Yes, Lord Vader," was the response. Tarkin recognized the voice; a clone, more specifically one of Jango Fett. The remaining veterans of the 501st Legion had been treated for their accelerated aging, as had the younger clones bred during the last years of the Republic. Though now clones were now bred via Spaarti technology-grossly inferior to the Kaminoan method, albeit much more practical, due to differing growth cycles-a training regimen instituted by Vader's direct command made them just as effective, if not more so, than the ones who had served in the Grand Army of the Republic before it became the Imperial Army.

He was not looking forward to this partnership.

 **ME: A/N: I'm thinking of writing my own version of Season 2 after "The Siege of Lothal" premieres online on June 20, 2015. It'll be somewhat similar to RVB's style of writing/dialogue; profane due to the nature of the cast and setting, humorous at times but dangerously serious the others. Should I continue this?**


	2. Changing of the Guard

**ME: Time for an adaptation of the Season 2 premiere, or at least one of the scenes (I can't just condense over half an hour of awesomeness into one chapter, people; it wouldn't do Rebels justice). A/N: Some stuff will stay the same, others...not as much.**

Planetary Minister Maketh Tua sighed as she looked at the report on her datapad.

 _Governor Pryce has_ finally _shown up after being absent for far too long. In the meantime, a terrorist insurgency has sprung up on Lothal. There are reports of unrest, and as acting Planetary Governor I have had to double patrols, set curfews, and establish checkpoints. Grand Moff Tarkin himself blames me for her laziness, for her neglecting all of_ her _duties. Why am I to blame? I am merely_ acting _Governor; my job is to handle the civil aspects of governance while Pryce, my formal superior, focuses on military and security matters._

 _Of course, that would be true not just in theory but in reality if she wasn't off-planet all the damn-._

Her intercom buzzed. "Madam Minister, Brigadier General David Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau is saying he's brought some...VIPs for you to meet."

She sighed before replying. "Of course, TC-Nineteen. Please send them in."

"Right away, ma'am," said her protocol droid secretary.

The door opened as Tua stood up. "Agent Kallus-."

She stopped speaking the moment she laid eyes on the four individuals Kallus had brought with him.

Apart from a new suit of black armor, Kallus looked the same. The helmet he held under his right arm actually resembled his old one, ableit with a visor added. Tua had heard him complain about it being hard to put on a gas mask while using his old helmet-if the helmet was anything like the standard Stormtrooper ones, the Minister reflected, it would have integrated CBRN protection.

The four individuals he brought with him, however...they made her even more nervous than when Tua had met the Pau'an Inquisitor for the first time.

"Good morning, Madam Minister," said the tallest of the quartet.

 _Lord Darth Vader..._

"And a good morning to you, Lord Vader!" She replied quickly, shaking his hand. "It is an honor to have the Emperor's Executor on my humble homeworld of Lothal!"

He nodded at her. "No, Minister. The honor of cleansing an Imperial world of insurrection and terrorism is mine. Now I would like you to meet my associates."

Lord Vader indicated what looked to be a Miraluka man. "This is High Inquisitor Jerec, the successor of the late Pau'an individual who died fighting the rebel traitors. He is now in charge of Inquisition operations in the Outer Rim."

Lord Jerec-Kallus had stated earlier that all members of the Inquisition who had completed their apprenticeships were formally referred to as "Lord" or "Lady," depending on the gender of the Inquisitor-coldly smiled at her when they shook hands. While he did not wear a mask like Lord Vader, Tua honestly preferred looking at the Emperor's Executor.

"Lady Barriss Offee, a High Inquisitor and my personal representative amongst the leadership of the Inquisition. We have worked together for a very long time; you will find she is a loyal and competent Imperial."

Lady Offee appeared Mirialan due to her tattoos and skin tone. Her ice blue eyes actually reminded the Minister of Asajj Ventress, a Dark Jedi apprentice of Count Dooku and Separatist terrorist from the Clone Wars (even though Tua only knew of Ventress because of studying history at the Imperial Academy on Carida). The woman looked slightly older than Kallus and appeared polite if nothing else, in sharp contrast to Lord Jerec.

"Last but not least, Commander Mara Jade of the Inquisition; Lady Offee's apprentice."

Commander Jade looked far younger than average for her title; twelve, maybe thirteen years old at most. She was the only Human (for all Tua knew, Lord Vader was Mirialan like Lady Offee under his suit and mask) amongst the new arrivals, and undoubtedly would turn the heads of boys her age with her red hair, green eyes, and fair, freckled skin. She was the least formally dressed person in the room, wearing a gray tank top and black combat pants tucked into identical boots, but the Minister figured she was an undoubtedly effective combatant like Kallus and chose not to comment like when she had first met the ISB Agent in person.

"Excuse me, Commander Jade," she asked politely, "but you seem a tad young for your rank."

The Apprentice Inquisitor shrugged. "Madam Minister, the Queen of Naboo around Thirteen BE was fourteen, while Jedi Padawans in my age group were placed in charge of GAR battalions and regiments, with Commander Tano serving as General Skywalker's de facto second-in-command until she left the Jedi Order and vanished. Myself being the equivalent of an Army Colonel or a Navy Captain isn't exactly outlandish."

Tua nodded. "Good point, Commander."

Lord Vader chose to address her once again. "Minister Tua, I have looked through your records."

"Yes, my lord?" She replied, trying her best to keep any hint of weakness out of her voice.

"After graduating from the Academy on Carida in the top five percent of your class, you served as an officer in my Five Hundred and First-accurately nicknamed 'Vader's Fist'-before retiring as a Captain and entering the Imperial Federal Civil Service."

Tua swallowed as discreetly as she could. "Lord Vader, with all due respect, I was not a real Stormtrooper officer. I was merely a battalion staff officer-in charge of administration, to be precise-before leaving the Military."

"I know that, Minister," he answered. "Which is why I do not blame you for your failings as acting Planetary Governor."

Now she was confused. "Excuse me, my lord?"

Vader merely looked her in the eye, it seemed-an impressive feat due to his masked face-before answering. "Minister, you have not been trained to lead counter-insurgency operations against Separatist and rebel terrorists. Moreover, while your subordinate, Lieutenant Governor Kira West, has done an admirable job, the fact you were appointed above her by Governor Pryce due to protocol instead of common sense means she has to coordinate with you rather than immediately take action to restore order. As your time both in and out of the Army has proven, you may not be a talented commander, but you are a born administrator and should've been treated as such by Pryce, despite what Tarkin has said."

Though Tua had kept a polite face for the Regional Governor, she had grown to fear and despise the Empire's first Grand Moff overtime. He had insulted Lothal by referring to it as "(her) little backwater," had blamed her for Pryce's neglect, and had both Commandant Cumberlayne Aresko and Taskmaster Myles Grint decapitated in front of Tua and Kallus without trial just to make an example of them.

 _Failure will now have consequences, Tarkin? If the rumors from Kallus are true, you're the idiot who lost an_ entire Star Destroyer _to_ five _rebels and a rogue,_ outdated _astromech;_ _not me. If there's a firing squad for incompetence,_ you _are the one who will be shot first. You're almost as bad as Pryce._

"Thank you for you compliments, Lord Vader," Tua expressed gratefully.

"That was not mere flattery, Minister. Now, if you'll come with us, we need to address the local troops."

"Of course, my lord."

It was a relief for the Planetary Minister of Lothal that she would not face Lord Vader's infamous wrath for the moment, so she actually smiled as she travelled with the other six individuals to a courtyard. Assembled was a diverse assortment of troops, ranging from Stormtroopers and Imperial Combat Drivers to TIE pilots, officers in gray uniforms, and even Cadets from the local Academy.

Governor Tarkin, regretfully, was at the podium. Flanking him were Governor Pryce and Lieutenant Governor West. Behind the two were Lieutenant Grand Moff Chad Vader and his adjutant, Chief Inquisitor Lady Raana Tano. Tua, having already met the deadly duo, found them more pleasant than Tarkin to work with but was still unnerved around them.

Tarkin turned and actually smiled at her-what was he up to?-before turning back to the crowd.

"Soldiers and sailors of the Galactic Empire," he began, "I once thought Planetary Minister Maketh Tua of this humble but critical world in our glorious Empire was the one responsible for letting the local terrorist insurgency grow unchecked."

 _Wait, what?_

"However, troops of the New Order, the true culprit here is Governor Arihnda Pryce, who is guilty of dereliction of duty!"

Tua noticed that Lord Vader had moved behind Pryce just as Kallus put a hand on her shoulder. _What is going on, why-oh,_ no _._

"Grand Moff Tarkin," Pryce protested, "Minister Tua simply lacks imagination and any real sense of leadership! It is my mistake, yes, for not simply appointing Lieutenant Governor West as-."

"Excuses for _your_ incompetence and failure do not interest me," Tarkin interrupted Pryce's attempt at covering her own hide. "Lord Vader?"

Just as the Planetary Governor of Lothal turned around, the Emperor's Executor activated his lightsaber and sliced off the Rodian's hands.

Tua gasped just after the Governor began to scream. She had grown to dislike Pryce very much, but even her neglectful superior didn't deserve such a painful fate.

"You need not worry, Governor Pryce," Lord Vader stated calmly, as though asking a friend if he could borrow some flimsi. "I will not kill you."

"Thank you so much for your mercy, Lord Vader!" Said Pryce.

"Do not celebrate yet, Governor," stated Tarkin. "Lord Vader won't kill you; his brother will."

The Planetary Governor barely had time to react before the Lieutenant Governor of the Outer Rim activated his lightsaber and stabbed his blade into her head, leaving a gaping, cauterized hole.

Tua forced herself not to look away (even though the sight made her want to vomit even more than the hapless Aresko and Grint being simultaneously executed) as the corpse fell to the ground. When she looked towards Lieutenant Grand Moff Vader, the Minister noted his lighsaber had two secondary blades projected from both sides of the weapon to act as a crossguard.

"As you all can clearly see," Lord Vader's booming voice announced, "dereliction of duty and criminal incompetence are no longer tolerated. I am the law; no more Imperials will be able to shirk their duties on my watch. That is all, please proceed to return to your posts if on duty. Dismissed."

"Lieutenant Governor West?" His brother announced.

"Yes, Lieutenant Grand Moff Vader?" West replied, drops of sweat rolling down her dark skin.

"Have your troops coordinate with the One Hundred and Fifth plus Vader's subordinates. You are in command now, Governor West."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Grand Moff Vader."

As Tua left for her office, she could've sworn she heard a young Cadet say, "I win the Academy pool!"

 **ME: A/N: According to _The New Essential Guide to Characters_ , junior officers of the Executor bet on Piett's life expectancy after his promotion.**

 **As you can see, Chad Vader has a crossguard saber like Kylo Ren. People need to stop moaning, including Ewan McGregor, about it; it gives the weapon a cool, unique look and protects Kylo's hand (the physical emitters could be made of either cortosis or phrik to make them more lightsaber resistant, and likely exist solely to keep him from cutting off his own hand). Contrast with the AT-ATs of ESB, which could move, see, and fire in precisely one direction, on top of being downed once or twice by space tow cables. Or the dumbest thing in SW after Jar Jar; Ewoks in place of Wookiees.**

 **Pryce being a Rodian and her Lieutenant Governor being black like Lando and the Leonis siblings is due to the WMG page for Rebels. That, and I prefer a more diverse cast of bad guys like Season 1 of Rebels rather than a monochromatic group (while the rebels conveniently got more diverse in ROTJ). Said Lieutenant Governor is a reference to retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Allen West, AKA a Grade-A Badass. Lieutenant Governor West herself can be considered the Piett of Lothal, and her first name of Kira is a reference to Rey's production name from TFA.**

 **I made Tua ex-military (ableit a POG; US military slang for anyone who is part of the noncombat echelons) because it would explain her being an Academy graduate and not being fazed by Sabine impersonating a Cadet and wearing Mando armor. Of course, she should've known Sabine was a rebel from the start since she didn't even bother to spray-paint her armor black or anything...**

 **I made Jerec the Season 2 male Inquisitor due to ForFutureReference commenting on the design of his helmet; while I've never read anything of Jerec beyond his Wook page and entry in _TNEGTC_ , he seems to be...pleasant...like a homicidal shark.**

 **I gave Kallus his new look because I figured he deserves one in light of Sabine getting an upgrade for Season 2. While his helmet does look badass and intimidating, it actually would hinder putting on a gas mask (be it a traditional one or a Winter Soldier-style model) compared to a Veers-style design or a modern helmet. His new armor actually resembles Phase II clone gear quite a bit apart from the helmet, which resembles his old one but is fully sealed with a visor that can be polarized to obscure his face if he wishes to do so (like the ODST helmets from Halo). I made it black to highlight his status as a Darth Vader Clone (dark gray isn't exactly more subtle in comparison).**


	3. Lord Vader Is Watching

**ME: Time to continue the adaptation of _The Siege of Lothal_ and Season 2 as a whole.**

 **A/N: Jhothal has less buildings than even Tarkintown if _Empire Day_ is any indication and it seems like more of a fuel stop with a cantina attached than an actual settlement.**

Jhothal was many things, but glamourous was not one of them, the Ithorian bartender reflected.

It lacked the factories of Capital City, the farms of Central City, or the street vendors of Kothal. Revolving around a refueling station, it had about as many inhabitants-by which Old Jho meant anyone who worked at Jhothal and thus lived there since one could not commute, either as a shopkeeper like him or as a fuel station attendant-as an apartment building floor. Life in Jhothal depending on outsider business and would end the moment ships stopped coming to refuel at the isolated outpost, though Jho was grateful that the Imperial occupation on Lothal mainly left the area unmolested.

 _Same can't be said for those poor bastards over in Tarkintown. Our great and magnanimous Governor does what he does best-crush whoever gets in his or our glorious Emperor's way._

An Imperial cadet in uniform entered the cantina. Though younger than the average Stormtrooper, junior academy cadets were still dangerous in that the indoctrination had already begun. Not to mention the fact they were actual members of the Imperial Military; if there was one thing Jho did not want to experience, it was being arrested by a boy still going through puberty.

But he thought he could recognized the geometric marking on this cadet's helmet. Once the cadet opened his helmet and exposed his face, Jho knew it was Zare Leonis; former Imperial loyalist turned rebel spy.

"You old enough to drink, Cadet? You look rather young," the bartender said.

It was just for security, of course. Regardless of the laws on the books, Zare had politely declined any free drinks from Jho. "Aren't you a little civilized for this joint? I thought Ithorians grew plants, not serve alcohol to riff-raff."

The older man would've smiled, but he was an Ithorian, not a Human or Near-Human. "Alright, my boy: Any intel you want me to transmit?"

Zare nodded. Jho looked into his brown eyes and realized the kid had witnessed something nobody his age should have. "Anything wrong, Zare?"

"Just the execution of Governor Pryce," he answered.

Jho shrugged. "Heard about it on the news; even the lies can tell you what you want to know sometimes. That weasel Alton Kastle said, 'Ex-Planetary Governor Arihnda Pryce was revealed to be a rebel turncoat aiding terrorist insurgents maurading Lothal. She attempted to frame Planetary Minister Maketh Tua for treason, but Pryce's crimes were discovered by an investigation led by Lieutenant Grand Moff Chad Vader and she was executed after a speedy but fair trial. As a reward for his efforts, Lieutenant Governor Vader has been awarded the title of Count of the Empire by His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Sheev Palpatine himself.'" The Ithorian shook his head. "Oh, then there was, 'All hail the Great Uniter.' Anyhow, good riddance to bad rubbish."

Zare grimaced. "Just be glad you didn't see it, Old Jho. They had a bunch of us assembled in a courtyard; cadets like me, troopers, walker drivers and bikers, even TIE pilots. It was all to witness her get her hands cut off, then her execution."

Jho patted his shoulder in sympathy, regretting his more cavalier response. "Sorry you had to see them cut off her hands, kid. That had to be worse than using her for target practice-you have my sympathy for us adults making all ya youngsters grow up too fast with stuff like this."

"It wasn't a firing squad."

"Wait, what?"

The Human teenager swallowed. "Count Vader put his lightsaber blade right through her skull, it left a smoking hole in her head."

 _Oh Force._ While Pryce would probably be easier to clean up than Commandant Aresko and Taskmaster Grint-Jho had heard rumors that Tarkin had ordered an Inquisitor to decapitate them-it would be of little comfort to Zare.

"Fierfek; alright, what's the intel?"

Zare took a sip of water (Jho had provided a glass of it) before beginning. "We have at least three new divisions of Imperial troops on Lothal. The Five Hundred and First Legion, Blizzard Force, and finally the One Hundred and Fifth Division. The Five-Oh-First is the cream of the crop when it comes to the Stormtrooper Corps; they have the most clones, particularly of the Jango Fett template, and the only recruits allowed to join are the best of the infantry. Only the Storm Commandos are unquestionably better-unless you count units like the Royal Guard, of course. Blizzard Force is an armored unit led by Major General Rom Mohc, a Clone Wars vet and battle droid advocate. The One-Oh-Fifth is some CompFarce unit, but they're suicidally devoted to the Emperor.

"Additionally, the Capital's under lockdown; a curfew's been established, checkpoints have been set up at all the exits, and patrols have been increased. This ironically makes things easier at the Imperial Complex, with the garrison being stretched thin and all. There are the additional soldiers that got sent in after Tarkin arrived, but I hear they've been kept in reserve so far. Perhaps the Empire thinks deploying all those men and women at once will make them look weak and the rebellion strong, but I'm worried regardless. On a side note, there's a maglev monorail network being constructed by the Imperials; probably to speed up cargo shipments and troop deployments. It could be part of that Five Year Plan for Lothal, or it could be just to deal with unrest.

"Last but not least, there seems to be Imperial battle droids being deployed. First of are these new TIE droids; they're armed with two cannons like the regular TIE/LN, but they can walk and land like Sep Vultures from the Clone Wars; they're actually kinda creepy. Second off are these Dark Troopers, humanoid infantry droids like the ones from the Clone Wars. Last but not least are these modified AT-PTs, an older walker design from before the Clone Wars. These walkers are now automated and got modified for anti-infantry duty."

"Thanks for the info, kid," Jho stated in gratitude. "I'll be sure to pass it on up the chain."

"Wait, one more thing." Zare took a deep breath before continuing. "My transfer to the Academy on Arkanis got cancelled, official line being that they need me here on Lothal. I doubt that that's the truth for obvious reasons."

"I'll pass it on, kid," the Ithorian assured. "You take care, may the Force be with you." Unlike most of his species, Jho wasn't a very spiritual man but decided to make an exception for once. _First time for everything, right?_

"And you, Jho."

 ***CUT TO IMPERIAL COMPLEX***

Unknown to either of the two rebels, their conversation was not private. A probe droid had discreetly monitored them, while an Imperial SIGINT satellite stood by to intercept the HoloNet transmission.

Lord Darth Vader, the apprentice of Emperor Sheev Palpatine, watched Cadet Zare Leonis as he exited the cantina.

"Sir," said the sniper of Delta Squad, Lance Corporal Sev (officially "IC-1207"), "Delta Oh-Seven here. I have a shot at the traitor, please advise. Over."

"Do not engage, soldier," Vader ordered. "I repeat, hold your fire. For now, we need Cadet Leonis alive. If you are receiving, acknowledge immediately."

The reply was immediate. "Sir, yes, sir."

High Inquisitor Jerec, the field commander for this mission, smiled in anticipation via his hologram (the Dark Lord of the Sith was glad he didn't have to share a room with the megalomaniac who wanted his position and was more like Tarkin than his Pau'an predecessor, to Vader's ire). "You need simply give the order, my lord, and I will personally lead the raid on that wretched hive."

"Wait, Jerec," he ordered; unlike Lady Offee, he did not deserve his title of 'Lord.' "The boy has to leave first in order to maximize the secrecy of this operation. Additionally, the Ithorian needs to make his call in order to bait the rebels."

Tarkin snorted. "I see no reason for us not to launch an assault on the rebel fleet that's been raiding our supply convoys with the help of the Lothal cell. We may not get another chance like this at extinguishing the fire before it burns down the entire galaxy."

Rear Admiral Thrawn, Vader's naval aide, shook his head. "We cannot jump the blaster, Governor. While it is all but certain we will intercept the transmission, pinpointing the rebel fleet is another matter. And even assuming we do so and dispatch a Battle Group of ISDs, what's stopping the rebels from jumping to another system while our ships are in hyperspace? And in the event of a successful ambush, the Jedi fugitives and their cell are likely to have left beforehand and will go to ground. We will have a greater chance of destroying the Rebellion entirely, Governor, if we kill two birds with one stone."

Tarkin gritted his teeth but focused on the Leonis boy, who was now about to leave the outpost-Vader refused to refer to anything with a population around the size of a Mandalorian clan as a settlement-after he retrieved his speeder bike. First, he removed the nozzle that was placed in it.

 _It supplied water that's probably all been converted to hydrogen by now for the fuel cells. One does not even need a dedicated station to refuel a repulsorcraft, just a lake and a container for getting the water. Amazing how something so simple can be used to power something so advanced._

Vader watched as Leonis left Jhothal on his speeder bike, which he recognized as a demilitarized Biker Advanced Recon Command (BARC) model. Sold off as surplus (the only ones made by Aratech anymore had been redesigned to comply with regulations) after the Clone Wars, they were popular on the civilian market for their speed and overall performance.

The conversation between Jho and the rebel fleet was a one-way visual transmission (evidently the leaders of the insurgency were smart, even for ones foolish enough to try and bring down the Empire). It turned out that the rebels had already learned of the additional troops sent to Lothal because of an unknown (at the moment) source. The Ithorian informant suggested that mass production of the Dark Troopers would likely occur (apparently the rebels were unaware that the _Arc Hammer_ was a mobile factory in addition to a warship), warned them of the intensified security measures, and pleaded for help.

"I may be fine," Jho said, "but the others aren't. Lothal needs you guys more than ever."

"We'll get back as soon as we can, Jho." The voice analysis identified the teenage boy speaking as Ezra Bridger, the Padawan of the Jedi duo.

Jedi? _Don't be naive, Caleb Dume was only Jedi Master Depa Billaba's apprentice when Order 66 was issued. How can he train this foolish child into a Jedi?_

"Transmission's ended, sir," the female technician reported.

Vader nodded his thanks. "Alright, Inquisitor," he told Jerec. "The bait has been offered and seemingly accepted, move in."

"Your wish is my command, Lord Vader."

 _Then shut up._

The Miraluka could follow orders when necessary, though. The two MAAT gunships, equipped with passive stealth technology and photoreactive panels (the latter of which was less advanced than cloaking but less expensive and easier to produce), soon were landing just outside the outpost.

"Delta Leader," Tarkin ordered, "have your squad RV with Inquisitor Jerec outside the target building. Lance Corporal Sev, maintain an overwatch; I'm ordering the probe droid to cover you."

"Yes, sir," were the simultaneous replies.

The platoon of ISB Stormtroopers following Jerec were drawn from a unit under Kallus's command, the 14th Infantry Brigade. Vader thought that no conventional infantry unit could best his 501st, but the 14th came close (ironic considering the unit originated as a Spaarti clone unit of the GAR and was notorious for poor performance compared to Kaminoan-bred clones); they were far superior to the average cannon fodder units assigned to Lothal.

Thrawn tapped at a keyboard, and soon the helmet cams of all of Delta Squad (save Sev) were on three vidscreens.

"Lieutenant Brek," Jerec ordered, "have your men set up a secure perimeter. No one gets in or out until I say so. Delta, with me. Lord Vader wants the target alive, so set to stun."

The Imperial soldiers carried out their orders flawlessly. It was over in less than a minute.

 **ME: A/N: Lieutenant Brek is an actual _Legends_ character; specifically, ISB Agent Jeffren Brek.**

 **The 14th Infantry Brigade similarly is from _Legends_ , specifically the Karen Traviss novel _Republic Commando: Order 66_. It was her attempt to explain the incompetence of the Stormtroopers compared to GAR clones.**

 **The automated AT-PTs are a reference to the ED-209 robots from RoboCop, although they're closer to the remake ones because *spoilers ahead* they're not some joke and actually are realistically threatening.**

 **I figured a maglev monorail network would be appropriate for Lothal given its industrialization.**

 **"All hail the Great Uniter" is a reference to Kuvira from the Legend of Korra. I figured Palpatine could use the title since he "reunited the Galaxy." Oh, and indulges in conquering of independent powers like the Hapans and the Ssi-Ruuvi to distract the masses and increase his power.**

 **I gave Chad the title of "Count" to give him a short title (rather than "Lieutenant Grand Moff" or "Lieutenant Governor") while not making him a Baron like either Fel or Rudor.**

 **Attentive viewers will notice Sev is a Lance Corporal rather than, say, a PFC like in the U.S. Army. Apart from the USMC (ironically, the Army used to have Lance Corporals), Singapore, Britain, Australia and New Zealand all have the rank in their militaries. I figured it would fit a Storm Commando better than "Private First Class," so that's why I chose it as a rank for the Imperial Army.**


	4. Taking the Bait

**ME: Time for the Lothal cell to get some action.**

"We'll need a distraction, Commodore," Commander Hera Syndulla of the _Ghost_ began.

Captain Jun Sato, Commander of Phoenix Fleet, nodded. "I agree, Captain Syndulla. With the addition of the _Devastator_ Battle Group to the Imperial blockade around Lothal, it will be more difficult to infiltrate the planet. Therefore, I propose that we launch a hit-and-run assault on Garel with Phoenix Fleet."

Ahsoka Tano (AKA "Fulcrum"), coordinator of the rebel cell, nodded. "Agreed. Garel's both the capital of the Lothal sector and possesses shipyards. The Imperial Navy barely has a presence compared to Lothal; a few _Arquitens_ -class light cruisers and a _Cardan_ _One_ -class space station, plus TIEs, but if we hit them hard and fast we can grab their attention."

"Indeed, ma'am," Captain Sato said. "Captain Syndulla, we have a spare Star Commuter Two-Thousand shuttle docked that was...recently acquired. It's not combat capable like the _Ghost_ , but it won't attract nearly as much attention. Perfect for a covert op like this."

"Thank you, Commodore," Hera replied.

The six crew members of the Ghost proceeded to the shuttle and detached after Chopper took control of the vessel.

" _Liberator_ Actual to shuttle, over," Commander Gial Ackbar of the blockade runner _Liberator_ said.

"Copy, Captain Ackbar," Kanan Jarrus replied. While he had mixed feelings about being in a more militaristic organization (owing to his experiences during Order 66), the last apprentice of Jedi Master Depa Billaba had accepted the fact he and his compatriots would need allies to truly change things.

"If they don't take the bait, be wary of the _Devastator_ Group," the Mon Calamari warned. "I hear it contains the best crews in the entire Imperial Starfleet."

"Which is why we won't engage them, my fellow Captain," Hera acknowledged. "Thanks for the tip, though. Spectre Two out."

" _Liberator_ Actual out."

 ***CUT TO: LOTHAL IMPERIAL COMPLEX***

"My lord," Rear Admiral (lower half) Thrawn said, "Governor Tarkin. We are receiving a transmission from Rear Admiral Ozzel, sirs."

Vader snorted but his tone was polite when he responded with a, "Thank you, Admiral Thrawn."

Tarkin refrained from rolling his eyes when the holoprojector displayed Kendel Ozzel. A fool who had been born to wealth like Tarkin (but had inherited no actual talent like the Eriaduan Grand Moff), the second-in-command to Lord Tion reminded him of Representative (now Senator) Jar Jar Binks, only with a better command of Basic.

"Lord Vader, Grand Moff Tarkin," Ozzel began, "we have received a distress signal from the Garel system. The local Under Moff says the local shipyards are under attack by a flotilla of warships, probably crewed by terrorists-the real question is whether they are rebel insurgents or Separatist holdouts."

"Their allegiance is irrelevant at this moment, Ozzel," Vader stated. Blunt, but to the point; Tarkin respected that. "How many enemy vessels?"

"Six, Lord Vader. The Governor said that five of them are Corellian blockade runners, the sixth a _Pelta_ -class frigate."

"Respond with all ships at your disposal, Admiral," Tarkin ordered. "The Garel Shipyards must be protected at all costs; Konstantine and the _Relentless_ Battle Group will manage in your absence."

"Right away, sir."

High Inquisitor Barriss Offee smiled. "It appears the rebels, for all their cleverness, have taken the bait we offered. Now to reel them in."

"Of course, Lady Vader."

Tarkin chose that moment to face palm. Jerec was ambitious enough and a potential ally, but did the Miraluka really have to pointlessly antagonize a Hand of Lord Vader?

Evidently Vader thought so, for he brought the thumb and fingers of his right hand together. "I will have you know, Jerec," he lectured as the Regional Director of the Imperial Inquisition started to choke, "that Lady _Offee_ did not her rank through sexual favors. She is not a consort or concubine, for I am a celibate man and she actually is competent as an enforcer for His Imperial Majesty's Government."

The Regional Governor of the Outer Rim coughed. "Unless you want to file the appropriate paperwork, Lord Vader, I suggest you release him promptly. You wouldn't want to promote Chief Inquisitor Amessa Darys, Jerec's Deputy Director, to his position?"

Vader, predictably, complied (although Tarkin knew it wasn't out of obedience). "Very well."

The intercom buzzed. "My lord, Governor Tarkin," Commander Mara Jade said, "I have Governor West, Agent Kallus, and Commandant Lyste waiting."

"Thank you, Commander," Tarkin responded before Vader could. "Please send them in." He could've just addressed her as _child_ -and she was what, thirteen? Probably still going through puberty-but similar to his suspicions regarding Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader being the same man, he thought he noticed a mother-daughter dynamic, however subtle, between the Apprentice Inquisitor and her mentor, Offee.

 _I hate admitting it, but the last thing I need is to give Offee a_ personal _reason to despise me. The fewer enemies I have among the Empire's Dark Jedi, the better._

As requested, Jade let the three aforementioned Imperials in.

"Thank you, Commander Jade," Vader expressed with genuine gratitude, judging by his vocal tone; that and body language was key to having any understanding of the Emperor's Executor in light of his face-concealing mask. "If anything important or an emergency comes up, you are permitted to interrupt the meeting."

"It will be done, my lord," the redheaded girl replied, before bowing and leaving the room.

"Report," was what the Planetary Governor, ISB Agent, and Army Colonel were told.

West answered first. "Grand Moff Tarkin, sir, the planetary maglev network is all but completed. Within twenty-four hours, I predict it will be fully operational."

Kallus handed a sheet of flimsiplast to Tarkin. "So far, it seems deploying the _Steel Talon,_ _Executrix_ , and _Devastator_ over the city have reminded the local citizenry that the Empire is _not_ weak. As a result, for the Capital order has been restored. Furthermore, due to the similar deployment of _Carrack_ -class light cruisers like the _Integrity_ over the more rural areas of the planet have helped keep rioting and unrest to a minimum. Unfortunately, I have compiled a list of local officials who appear to be guilty of treason on that sheet of flimsi, Grand Moff."

The two names circled in red, naturally, caught the eye of Tarkin. They were the city's Imperial Prefect and the Mayor of the Capital. _Good; I had to keep that worthless bitch Pryce's execution private like those two bumbling fools the Pau'an killed on my orders because of who I wanted to galvanize into action, but I can use these two to plant more fear into the hearts of the local population. Make it known that flagrantly disobeying the law will not end well._

The new Commandant (he looked rather young for his job, but the former Lieutenant Colonel turned Colonel had recently been promoted from Major) of the local Academy (which produced rather lackluster troops, especially compared to the graduates of schools on Corulag, Carida...it wasn't hard to find a more respectable institution) headed Offee a datapad. "Lady Offee, I believe the changes you requested to be implemented may now be having results. Of course, I have to be honest; it may very well be too late for the Stormtroopers already in the field, especially given reports of them firing from the hip."

Offee smiled; if there was one thing she and Tarkin had in common (besides icy blue eyes and a devotion to the Emperor and Empire), it was that smiles were rare if nonexistent. "Good work, Commandant Lyste. But I'm sure that with Lord Vader around, our soldiers will either shape up for their Emperor and Empire or die."

The Governor cleared his throat. "Alright, attempts to capture at least some rebels alive is a given. While I'd prefer killing terrorist insurgents, prisoners are useful for providing intelligence if nothing else."

"That is unlikely to happen, sir," Lyste spoke up. "I've heard the rumors and complaints from my men and women; one NCO said she'll kill any rebel she finds regardless of whether they surrender or not because her brother was used in a booby trap after being knocked unconscious on Stygeon Prime."

"Karking idiot," Vader cursed, not caring for the presence of Governor West. Tarkin remembered that incident that showed just how much those supposed do-gooders truly cared for their principles, even if the explosives had been dialed down to avoid killing them; not that the official report released by HoloNet News said so. "Governor West, issue this order: Any Imperial soldier or officer caught killing a prisoner or surrendering rebel without authorization or unless the situation warrants it is to be used for target practice by the flametroopers."

"Of course, Lord Vader." West looked a bit squeamish but still obedient like Tua. _Good; unlike her predecessor, she may very well retire with her pension intact and all her limbs._

"Governor, Commandant, dismissed. Agent Kallus, remain here."

As the two did as ordered and left, Offee called in her student. As soon as the door was locked, Tarkin looked at Jade.

"Any ideas for how to get the rebels to lead us right to their base?"

 ***CUT TO: STOLEN SHUTTLE***

Ezra was at first pleased to see the diversion had worked and the Empire had sent valuable ships away from Lothal.

Now, however, he felt more apprehensive. Things had changed for the worst on Lothal, and now that the shuttle had landed it was painfully clear.

"Our source wasn't wrong," Zeb commented warily. "They got three ImpStars for one city in the Outer Rim. Who knows how many bucketheads those ships alone have deployed to the city?"

"Let's just get our recon in and get out, people," Kanan ordered. "No attacks, we only get what we can then exfil; if this planet's gonna be free, we'll have to do things the smart way."

 **ME: A/N: The line about killing rebel POWs as payback was inspired by a similar line from an EndWar fic written by Don113. I included the line about the Stormtroopers surviving is because a TIE exploded in _Art Attac_ k near a group of them, yet they were just fine (ableit humiliated and covered in paint). In real life, the Rebels would be serious assholes *to be blunt* for using unconscious soldiers as booby traps. One fic called "Thrawn and the Rebellion" had Zeb justify it through saying the Empire's worse-*blatant sarcasm ahead* because it's not as if stooping to your enemy's level makes you just as bad as him or her. Of course, the guy who wrote that can't even spell Ahsoka's name correctly, so it isn't surprising.**

 **The reason I made Sato a Captain rather than a Commander is because he commands a squadron worth of ships, even if they're only blockade runners and (formerly) a frigate. "Commodore" is just a title used in the modern U.S. Navy to address Captains of his position to differentiate them from COs of ship, like Commanders Hera and Ackbar (who are referred to as "Captain" out of naval tradition).**

 **On a different note, Zare is unwittingly a hostage used to secure Dhara's cooperation in my headcanon. She apparently can pick him out of a crowd in the books, and he got supposed special treatment-I haven't read the junior novels, but odds are Disney isn't wasting that subplot if they're writing books about it. Inky and Aresko communicating just makes it obvious given her convenient disappearance.**

 **And Chad Vader being made a Count is, in a way, a tribute to the late Christopher Lee. Rest in peace, brave veteran of World War Two. Rest in peace.**

 **Final note (when I finished this, it was past ten o'clock/2200 Hours Central Time; thank God it's the summer): "Under Moff" is a reference to the Office of the Sedretary of Defense, where Under Secretaries are outranked by the Deputy SECDEF and SECDEF. I figured systems would have governors as well. Considering how some sectors in Legends apparently had hundreds of systems, it's just out of practicality for governance and how bureaucratic the Empire is. Not too much of a stretch if you think about it, people.**

 **Also: "Hand of Lord Vader" is a Mythology Gag referring to the Emperor's Hands from the old EU/Legends.**


	5. Divide and Conquer

**ME: Now time for a little False Flag Operation, ladies and gents. Also, language and *spoilers* an RVB reference, plus a Halo reference.**

"Holy kriff," Mara commented as she observed the rebels through her electrobinoculars, "it's actually them."

"Hold your fire, Commander," Agent Kallus ordered. "Lord Vader wants them alive."

She noted that he did not bring up Governor Tarkin-not that she really cared for the Coruscanti aristocrat wannabe's wishes-but obeyed. "Sir, yes, sir. If we have can shut down the rebellion and avoid losing any more troops, that's fine by me."

Some would have called the redheaded Apprentice Inquisitor foolish at first for her attire, as her tank top offered no protection for her torso in spite of it fitting her athletic nature, but for the mission she had wisely armored up. She wore an olive gray blast vest (which also had circular overlapping discs for ballistic protection; slugthrowers weren't a joke and were incredibly common in the Outer Rim; the apprentice of Lady Barriss Offee did not dismiss the shrapnel produced by frag grenades, either) over her light gray sleeveless shirt and a standard Imperial Military helmet on top of her head as well as tactical glasses and a gas mask attached to said glasses (which provided protection for her eyes in addition to providing a HUD), on top of elbow and knee pads.

"Alright," Kallus said as over half the rebels began to move out (unlike Mara, due to the nature of his helmet the ISB Brigadier General was able to attach a pair of electrobinoculars), "looks like the ex-Honor Guardsman and the droid are staying to provide security while the two Jedi, the pilot, and the Mandalorian conduct a recon mission." The COMPNOR officer then spoke into his comlink, "ISB-Zero-Two-One to IN-One-One-Seven, come in."

Her mentor was calm and professional, as always (almost always, at least). "One-One-Seven here, General Kallus. Go ahead, over."

"My lady," he reported, "four of the rebels are heading into the city, likely for intelligence gathering. I have a spy droid tracking them discreetly. The remaining two terrorists, the Lasat and the astromech, are staying behind; presumably, this is to protect their shuttle in the event of an exfil."

"Good. Time for Mr. Vizago to pay the price of interfering with Imperial operations-he may survive for now, but a feud between Lothal's criminal element and the local insurgency is just what we need. Commander Jade, please inform IG-Seven-Two he may send the thug droids into action against the rebel ship."

IG-72 was an Imperial assassin droid and Second Lieutenant in the Imperial Security Bureau. Loyal to the Empire and ruthless, he actually reminded Mara of Agent Kallus, ableit in droid form.

 _Good thing he didn't end up like IG-88. Wait-Master Offee wants_ me _to give him the order?_

 _I will_ not _let her down after she took me from the orphanage and raised me; I would have no future without her kindness._

"Thank you for trusting me with the privilege of ordering the assault, Master," she expressed gratefully. "I will not fail you."

"I know, my apprentice. Offee out."

Mara switched to the frequency used by IG-72. "IG-Seven Two, this is IN-Four-Five-One. Radio check, over."

"Resding you five-by-five, ma'am. Send traffic, over."

The young Dark Jedi smiled; her first real mission, and she already was giving orders. "Prepare to engage, Seven-Two, but stand by. I say again, do not move in until I give the order. Acknowledge."

"Roger that, Commander Jade. Be advised: While the IG-dash-RM droids have been marked as property of the Broken Horn Syndicate and have no incriminating programming or anything else linking them to the Empire, they will not be sufficient to eliminate the Jedi. Please advise, over."

"We need them alive for now," Mara replied. "Stand by, I think you may be ready to engage but it's not guaranteed. Jade out."

Kallus looked her in the eye; for politeness' sake, he had depolarizer his visor. "Good work so far, Commander. And I know you already guessed correctly, but the other rebels aren't in a position to immediately respond."

"Thank you, Agent Kallus." She reactivated the comlink and told IG-72, "Four-Five One again, Seven-Two. You are cleared hot, I say again, you may initiate the attack."

The response was not verbal and instead came in the form of the thug droids attacking the rebels, but Mara supposed actions spoke louder than words.

The Lasat insurgent opened fire with his bo-rifle as he took cover with the astromech-was it some old C1 model? Mara began to question just how well funded the rebels were if they were using such outdated technology-behind some crates.

"I knew an opponent worthy of facing me in single combat would have some tactical aptitude," Kallus observed aloud, "even if our only duel so far ended with me defeating him due to his own lack of emotional control. If he had taken cover inside the shuttle, the droids could have easily tossed grenades in-not that they're armed with grenades, but he doesn't know they only have their rifles."

Mara nodded. "Alright, Seven-Two. You are cleared hot to engage the shuttle, I say again, open fire. How copy?"

"Solid copy, ma'am. Engaging now, over."

The mortar round streaked through the air before hitting the transport, destroying it. That was expected; Mara seriously doubted the terrorist insurgency would waste valuable shield generators of decent quality on an unarmed shuttle only useful because it could masquerade as a civilian vessel, and even if it had one the shields would be deactivated.

The quartet of rebels who had departed on recon duty (Mara monitored them through her tactical glasses via a link to the spy droid) returned, and the thug droids were defeated quickly.

"These droids belong to Vizago!" The Mandalorian yelled.

The leader of the group, a former Padawan who had renamed himself Kanan Jarrus (he originally was known as "Caleb Dume," and had trained under the now-deceased Jedi Master Depa Billaba), growled. "Okay, I was unsure of whether or not we should continue working as part of some army, but this is it! Forget that sleemo, I'll take Organa's credits over his any day!"

Mara smirked. The rebels were foolish enough to speak of their financial backer, even if they were unaware they were being watched.

The Lasat grunted. " _Karabast_ , you've finally realized we've gone from fighting on our own to part of a bigger rebellion. I understand your little working class hero act, Kanan, but I don't think blowing up Baron Rudor's TIE counts as robbing from the Empire to give to the poor."

The Jedi fugitive blushed. "Okay, I had my head in the ass. I admit it."

"Contact Lord Vader," Kallus ordered. "He'll be pleased to know that the Alderaanian government is all but certain to be behind these traitors, I'll continue to observe."

"As you wish," she complied, withdrawing her holo-communicator. _Not that there was any doubt. Alderaan may not be as suicidal as that New Mandalorian society established by the Kryze Family, but only fools and anarchists dare to disrupt the peace and security established by the Empire. I'm glad I was born on Coruscant like Agent Kallus-I can't imagine the shame that comes with being an Imperial Alderaanian. I hear most sever their ties and never come back because of their families lack of loyalty._

Lord Vader appeared via the projector soon after, clad head-to-toe in his black armor. "Speak, my Hand."

Mara normally went by _Commander_ , but Lord Vader would only use _my Hand_ if he valued her. _And I'm grateful to be valued by him._

"My lord," she began, "it appears that the operation has been a complete success so far. The Broken Horn Syndicate and the rebels will not collude for the foreseeable future; additionally, the leader of the group mentioned an 'Organa.' Agent Kallus and I believe that this was in reference to Senator Bail Prestor Organa of the Alderaan sector."

"Well done, Commander Jade," he replied. "RTB, I do not need you observing the terrorist traitors when I know from Lady Offee a spy droid is following them. Give my regards to Agent Kallus, out."

The transmission ended, and Mara turned to Kallus. "Lord Vader said we did a good job," she began. "He's also ordered us to RTB in light of the fact we have a droid on tracking duty."

"Got it," responded the ISB Agent. "Kallus to IG-Seven-Two, mission's over. Good work, Lieutenant."

"Thank you, sir."

 **ME: A/N: Here's a late Fourth of July gift for everyone.**

 **The blast vest design is actually a reference to Dragon Skin, a highly advanced ballistic vest in real life used by, among others, U.S. Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer Christopher Scott "Chris" Kyle, an American and Texan hero. Hope you enjoyed your Fourth of July in heaven, Chief Kyle.**

 **The glasses and half-face mask Mara wears is a reference to the Winter Soldier movie. Her helmet is the one worn by Veers and the Imp Navy Troopers (the dudes in black) from the OT, as well as the one worn by Tarkin in _Rebels_.**

 **Yes, I didn't like Kanan's argument with Hera. He comes off as an utter Strawman; while I can understand him being reluctant to be in a military after Order 66, not all of their stunts in Season 1 can be classified as "robbing from the Empire and giving to the needy."**

 **IG-72 was an assassin droid that apparently was loyal to the Empire (unlike IG-88) before going rogue (though he somehow expected to collect an Imperial bounty). Think of him as the Iron Patriot/War Machine to 88's Iron Man (one is employed by the government, the other is an independent merc-though in Tony's case, it's for free), ableit an evil dynamic.**

 **I figured Alderaanians who joined the Empire wouldn't be enviable. They'd probably face ridicule from their peers and have a harder time working their way up, while they'd be denounced as traitors by non-Imps (especially after you know what).**

 **The title of this chapter, "Divide and Conquer," is a reference to the only legitimate reason I can see any state-sanctioned racism on the Empire's part. In light of Grand Vizier Mas Amedda, it's clear that "Human High Culture" (one of the stupider parts of Legends; besides KJA's "novels," of course) is gone and any special treatment Humans get is to get aliens pissed at them and reduce cooperation.**


	6. Imperial Greetings

**ME: Hello, I hear there is this plucky band of rebels on Lothal. I'm here to depict the Imps kicking them off their planet (or the short kid's, at least, since he's the only one who was actually born there-unless his ex-alcoholic mentor, apparently according to _A New Dawn_ , which I haven't read yet-was born on Lothal, though most likely he's from Coruscant like Kallus according to Wookieepedia) via a jackboot. To their _shebs_.**

 **Now back to the story! Warning: Language ahead, because the fact the Imps are fascists doesn't stop them from being quite profane. I am partially basing the dialogue off of RVB, after all.**

"Hey, Hera?" Ezra asked.

"Yes, Ezra?" The Twi'lek answered.

"Vizago can forget the favor I owed him you were so pissy about."

"WHAT?! I do not get pissy!"

"Enough," Kanan cut in. "Look, everyone, even the average Stormie or buckethead would've heard the explosion by now. We gotta move, now."

As if on cue, a surveillance droid noticed them just as they started to leave the landing bay.

"Alert!" It said in a male voice. "All citizens, be advised: Six terrorist insurgents have been spotted in this area! Please remain calm, Imperial authorities have been alerted and are sending security forces to terminate these threats to-."

Zeb shot the droid with his rifle and growled, "Speak of the devil, and he shall appear."

A group of twenty white droids appeared, armed with E-11 blaster rifles.

"There they are, advance and fire!"

Though the skeletal Phase One Dark Troopers outnumbered them more than two-to-one, the outcome of the fight was never in question. Due to cost-cutting measures, these droids were poorly programmed and armored in comparison to the black-colored variant assigned to elite Imperial units.

Ezra sliced off the barrel of the last Dark Trooper's rifle then swiftly bisected it at the waist.

Remarkably enough, the legs continued to move under their own power.

"Woah," the young Lothalian commented.

"NO!" The upper half of the droid (which was also still operational) begged. "Wait, please don't leave me here!"

"Are all these Imp droids like this?" The Padawan asked. "'Cause I feel kinda bad now."

"Relax, kid," Zeb replied. "If they built these clankers like the ones the Seppies used back during the Clone Wars, their intelligence will rival Chopper's."

In response, the old astromech ran over the Lasat's foot.

"OW, SON OF A-."

"C'MON, C'MON!" Sabine yelled, and they finally left.

It wasn't a moment too soon, for Imperial troops flooded the area. The fact they were able to reach the Bridger residence unharmed was a miracle.

"Alright," Hera began, "we need a new ride to leave. It's clear the Empire's beefed things up, but we can't do anything about it. Hell, even recon might just get us killed, and it can't be called necessary at this point."

"Sabine," Kanan asked, "think we can hijack an Imperial freighter or something from one of the airfields like you guys did back when I was imprisoned?"

The young Mandalorian woman shook her head. "Unlikely. Zare said the Imps have all the exits locked down, and odds are they've increased security at the airfields as well. Only shot we have at getting off-world is the Imperial Complex."

"Are you crazy?" Zeb asked. " _Karabast_ , even with the local Loth-rat Imps occupied with manning checkpoints, how the kark are we supposed to get past security at the Complex? All it takes is one buckethead with a comlink to ruin things."

Kanan smirked. "Ezra, you still got an unmodified cadet helmet, right?"

"Yeah, why do you ask that?"

Meanwhile outside, a TIE pilot (angered at having to land to search for the rebels on foot) was debating with two Stormtroopers over who had the worst luck.

"One of the insurgents pretended to help me," growled Baron Valen Rudor, Commander of Spark Squadron of the Imperial Navy and Corulag noble, "but he stole equipment from my downed fighter, crashed due to me bravely fighting on the frontlines, and electrocuted me when I attempted to stop him! That was _after_ I was attacked by some rare hairless Wookiee rube who just so happened to speak Basic and destroyed my fighter. _Then_ there was when he stole my ship _while I was flying it_. Finally, those useless terrorists blew up my TIE Advanced before I could so much as touch it." The officer bristled. "Now I'm on grunt duty with you rabble."

MB-223, a Stormtrooper, snorted. "With all due respect, sir, fuck that. We had to deal with some Mando bitch who blew up one TIE as a distraction-fortunately she must've dialed down the explosive or something, because dirty reb sluts like her are too weak to get the job done for sure and we actually survived."

"Then she came back!" TK-626, MB-223's partner, added. "Little punk Mando wannabe and her buddies-I think one of them was that hairless Wookiee-stole a _Gonzanti_ and blew up a row of TIEs! We had to polish Tarkin's boots for a week!"

At that moment, the sextuplet of rebels exited the home and walked into view.

Time seemingly stopped for two seconds before Rudor drew his pistol and aimed. "Rebel terrorists, stop in the name of His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Sheev Palpatine the Great Uniter!"

His actions earned him a stun round, courtesy of Ezra Bridger's blaster-saber.

TK-626 and MB-223, along with two other TIE pilots from Spark Squadron (Lieutenant Commander Cyr Danthon and a Lieutenant named Nell), did their best but were taken down with non-lethal force as well.

When the Commander of Spark Squadron awoke to find himself tied up and stripped to his boxers and undershirt, with Spark Three-Nell- and TK-626 in a similar state (though unlike them, one of the rabble had literally put a sock in his mouth) in the basement of the Bridger residence, he was furious but averted his eyes when Colonel Yogar Lyste, the new Commandant of the local Academy and the Garrison of Capital City, came down fuming.

"Apparently I am the only officer who can do anything around here!" Lyste yelled. "Lord Vader will _not_ be impressed."

 ***CUT TO: STREETS OF THE CAPITAL***

Sabine Wren smirked inside her stolen TIE pilot helmet (Rudor, unlike the redheaded female TIE pilot, had been rendered half-naked just to humiliate the Imperial noble). Thanks to a pair of blue contacts, as well as washing out her hair dye to return her boyish cut to its natural black (having been done while the rebel commanders were debating over how to insert the crew of the _Ghost_ ), she would look less conspicuous if she had to expose her face. Ezra had changed into his old cadet uniform, while Kanan had gone buckethead.

"This is gonna be fun," she said.

Zeb banged on his crate. "Easy for you to say! You guys are right, I smell awful!"

 ***CUT TO: LOTHAL IMPERIAL COMPLEX***

"I'm sorry to report, Baroness Tano," Tarkin began, "that the executions have been delayed. You will not be able to strangle anyone until tomorrow in light of our... _guests_." He wasn't sorry at all; Count Vader, like his apparent brother, was a better blunt instrument than a leader. Tano was no different, and brutes like her and them who did not understand the need of weapons like the Death Star had to have their independence leashed. It didn't stop her, however, from being a skilled warrior. In that regard, Vader and his brother were virtually peerless, and even Tarkin was not suicidal enough to challenge Tano to a duel.

The Togruta Chief Inquisitor snorted. "Yeah, yeah...wait, _Baroness_ Tano, Governor?"

He smirked. "His Imperial Majesty has deemed you worthy of being made a Baroness of the Empire. You, like Senator Jar Jar Binks, will be hailed as a model Non-Human Imperial citizen."

She rolled her eyes. "I swear, Grand Moff, your rank is the only reason I don't strangle you with my bare hands for comparing me to that idiotic Gungan. Slowly."

Ignoring the banter, Offee tapped at a datapad and displayed the main entrance. A Stormtrooper, a TIE pilot, and an Imperial cadet all approached.

"Like livestock to the pen, they move to be slaughtered."

She was dressed differently now, the Governor of the Outer Rim reflected as he watched the older Jedi (who else could that Stormtrooper be?) successfully mind trick the one guard on duty. While Offee was still clad head-to-toe in black, her cloak was gone. Additionally, the Mirialan had put on a helmet and mask resembling Vader's, the latter of which disguised her voice for whatever reason.

"Do you want me to go with you, brother?" Count Vader asked.

The senior of the two answered with a, "Negative, you and Baroness Tano are to protect Tarkin. Enjoy the show. Agent Kallus, is Delta Squad ready to engage?"

"Affirmative, my lord," the ISB officer answered; apparently he was feeling familiar, even though Kallus was a mere Brigadier General. "By the way, despite all odds Corporal Fixer was able to discreetly attach the tracking devices to the shield generators."

 _Wait, Lord Vader plans to track the rebels using irresistable bait that no insurgency, even one funded by the traitorous House of Organa, can afford to leave?_ Tarkin's respect for Lord Vader shot up a few points, and he decided to refer to him formally in his mind for now.

"Good, time to give our guests a good-old-fashioned-Imperial-welcome. My lady, have your apprentice RV with Delta and await our arrival."

"Right away, my lord."

Tarkin did not suspect anything romantic or even sexual was going on between Lord Vader and his Mirialan Hand. The Eriaduan figured the Emperor's Executor was too injured to indulge himself that way, and rumors had circulated about General Skywalker and the late Senator Amidala of the Chommel sector. Combined with the fact Offee had framed Padawan Ahsoka Tano, odds are the black-clad enforcer of His Imperial Majesty would not have that close of a relationship. At best, they were close friends or surrogate siblings.

 _He works with me regardless of his feelings, even if he does get abrasive due to the past. I suppose Lord Vader can forgive Offee if I advocated for Tano's execution._

Banishing the thoughts from his mind, Tarkin got our three bottles of wine that were from Alderaan. The Organas may have been traitors, but even they could produce alcoholic beverages that were light years ahead of the local Hutt punch (as Captain Hiram Zataire of the _Lawbringer_ put it).

"Count Vader, Baroness Tano, would either of you know where some glasses and some ice are? This is a special occasion, after all, and it should be enjoyed accordingly.

 ***CUT TO: LANDING PAD***

"Can you feel that?"

 _The fear, the anger, the hate?_ Kanan just nodded his head as he turned around.

 _The cold._

The source of that and everything else was that tall figure. The Pau'an Inquisitior, at least, had a face, no matter how terrified the Jedi Knight had been of it.

Whowever this was ( _A Sith Lord?_ ), in contrast, was masked and all of his skin was covered by a menacing black outfit. He was easily two meters tall or more. That was even assuming it was a man under that armor-regardless of gender, this figure was more like an Imperial General Grievous or a B3 ultra battle droid than a person, even with his presence in the Force.

"Everyone expects the Imperial Inquisition," a deep baritone annouced as two masked cohorts emerged from the shadows and flanked him. "But no one expects me."

Red lightsaber blades ignited, and five Imperials in armored suddenly appeared, their camoflauge tech having deactivated.

 **ME: A/N: A couple of OCs who appear, TIE pilots Nell and Cy, belong to fellow author Eisenschrott. I got Rudor's rank of Commander from him as well. His** **fics are actually pretty decent, so I'd check em out if I were you guys. I actually based a comment Kanan made about Vader off one of his; you can thank him for inspiring me.**

 **Rudor, of course, remains a semi-competent Butt Monkey.**

 **Raana being made a Baroness is a semi-Shout-Out to _GI Joe_ ; according to ForFutureReference, apparently Cobra's now competent in the comics (if I read right, Karen Traviss actually got involved in the writing). It was also done to keep her from being made a Count (or, in this case, Countess) like Chad.**

 **Barriss's attire for this chapter is a reference to her canon outfit. Which, if I'm right, is some black minidress with black pants tucked into black boots. Like the mask, it's real subtle. Oh, and the mask both hiding her face and disguising her voice is for psychological effect in-universe, similar to the double-bladed spinning lightsaber.**


	7. First Confrontation

**ME: Time for some fun. Spoiler alert: Vader is an utter badass. Not that you guys didn't already know that.**

Master and apprentice activated their blue lightsabers (the boy's looked unique-too bad for him he would be unable to use it effectively with an ex-Padawan as his current instructor). "Hera, go!" The older one said, undoubtedly to the Twi'lek pilot (the Mandalorian girl had been identified as Sabine Wren by security footage, a former Imperial cadet who deserted the junior Academy on Mandalore). "We'll cover you!"

"Kanan, look out!"

Jarrus was barely able to react in time to block Vader's slash. Even though the Sith Lord was only using one hand to grip his weapon, his superior strength both physically and in the Force kept the man once named Caleb Dume at bay.

 _Though this rebel cell must be kept alive-for now, at least, to reveal the whereabouts of other traitors. Though only_ one _survivor is needed to act as bait._

As the sound of blaster fire reached him, Vader pulled back his blade then Force pushed the two back with his left hand. The teenager landed on his side, while his mentor actually managed to land on his boots and shook his head before charging.

 _Idiot, just like in my youth. Oh well-if I had to learn_ two _painful lessons before my twenty-fifth birthday, Jarrus will endure at least one in his late twenties._

Vader slashed at Jarrus's blade, forcing the younger Human back. He then blocked two attacks aimed at his torso before grabbing both of his opponent's wrists and raising him in the air.

 _Assuming this self-promoted Jedi Knight ever becomes a Dark Jedi in the service of the Empire-probably as a member of the Inquisition or the Emperor's Shadow Guard, but just as likely he could end up as an unofficial subordinate of either myself or my master-the last thing I need is another potential rival who can use Force lightning to either harm me or my allies. Jarrus will manage fine with two prosthetic arms, just as I have._

Vader started with his armored right arm, slicing it off. Just after the screaming started, he swiftly removed the left one.

 _Pathetic. Snips probably could do better at_ fourteen _, and I'm_ toying _with Jarrus. Either Master Billaba was an incompetent teacher or he is just unworthy of a lightsaber._

Without ceremony, Vader tossed the garbage over to the _Sentinel_ -class landing craft the rebels were stealing then turned his attention to the boy. His fairly long hair matched his blue eyes (did the Padawan have Zeltron ancestors?), and he ignited his mentor's weapon in his left hand.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT, INQUISITOR!"

 _So young and naive; I won't even bother dignifying his words with a_ certain _response._

Instead the Sith Lord slammed the child into the leg of an AT-DP. To his credit, the young insurgent managed to keep a grip on his weapon in spite of his left hand dropping his master's lightsaber.

Vader remembered one of Chad's best friends growing up; Serra Keto, a Jedi Knight and Jar'Kai practitioner. Unlike this boy, Serra had trained long and hard to use dual blades properly in combat.

"Your master has deceived you into believing you can become a Jedi," Vader began as he started to force the Padawan's lightsaber towards his neck. "Instead, you will either surrender and become a servant of the Emperor and the Empire or die."

Just when it seemed the boy would die futily, his blade deactivated and a round emerged from the attachment of his lightsaber.

 _What?_

Evidently the youngster had built a blaster into his weapon, explaining its unique appearance. Vader attempted to deflect the shot, but shock delayed his reaction just long enough for the stun bolt to hit.

For the first time in a while, the Sith Lord let out a cry of pain as he sank to his knees.

 ***CUT TO: TARKIN'S OFFICE***

The first Grand Moff of the Empire spit out his wine. While it was amusing to see Lord Vader toss the rebels around as if he was playing grav-ball with them (and even more entertaining to reflect on the fact the only reason they were surviving at all was to lead them right to the rest of their terrorist organization, which did not stop him from besting Dume/Jarrus like General Grevious of the Separatist Alliance slaughtered Jedi), his death from what appeared to be a mere stun round would sour the taste of victory.

He contacted Captain Montferrat immediately via a secure HoloNet frequency. If any ship's hospital could treat the Emperor's Executor, Lord Vader's own flagship could.

" _Devastator_ Actual here, sir."

"Captain, Lord Vader is down," he answered. " I repeat, LDV-Zero-One needs immediate medevac. Send a shuttle to pick him up and ready his surgical team; if you fail to comply, Montferrat, and we lose Lord Vader, I will personally report your hand in his death to His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Sheev Palpatine the Great Uniter."

"Right away, sir." Sure, Lord Vader was more terrifying, but Tarkin did not earn the post of Governor of the Outer Rim for being approachable.

Luckily enough, the boy wisely initiated a retreat the moment Vader let him down.

"C'mon, c'mon!" Wren, the Mandalorian girl, yelled.

Both she and the Lasat covered the Padawan's retreat with suppressive fire that forced Agent Kallus and Delta Squad behind crates. Offee and her apprentice, however, stood in the open.

In a testament to the effectiveness of the Imperial Inquisition, only one blaster bolt (fired by the Lasat) made it past their lightsaber blades. It struck Jade's vest, but the Commander was only knocked on her back. It was a good thing the girl had armored up, otherwise there'd have been a cauterized wound right on top of her heart.

The Mandalorian girl, however, wasn't as lucky. Offee deflected two shots from her twin sidearms into her breastplate and helmet before yanking away the Lasat's rifle. Tarkin had heard quite a few stories about Mandalorian iron, AKA beskar. Given the Death Watch and Imperial regulations on possession of the ore, the Eriaduan reflected, odds are Wren couldn't have afforded much coverage, therefore explaining her armor's unconventional design and/or a possible emphasis on mobility over protection. Either way, the juvenile delinquent was either dead or unconscious. The Imperial Military would be unable to confirm at the moment, for the shuttle fled at full speed.

"Shall I scramble Baron Fel and the One Hundred and Eighty-First Wing, sir?"

The Grand Moff shook his head (having just finished informing Offee of the incoming transport for Lord Vader). "Negative, Count Vader. The rebels will not leave Lothal just yet."

 **ME: A/N: As either Sabine or Mara will testify, Armor is Useless will be averted in this story to the best of my ability.**

 **And yes, I lampshaded Sabine's lack of armor coverage. Sue me.**

 **Zeb's rifle has been confiscated by a vengeful Barriss. Like Kanan losing his arms, this will have a impact.**

 **Speaking of Kanan, I wanted my version of the duel to be particularly Darker and Edgier. Anyone who watched that scene can see Vader's clearly toying with Kanan and Ezra since he passed up a good opportunity to slice off Kanan's arms (which would make it look like he wasn't holding back). As ForFutureReference put it (paraphrased), "Having Kanan get such an injury like that would be a good case of Reality Ensues plus a dose of Oh, Crap...without actually killing anyone off."**

 **In case you were wondering, I envision the Inquisition as being more loyal to Vader than Palpy and the Shadow Guard being a case of vice versa, with unknown agents for both Sith Lords.**

 **Please note that it was nearly eleven o'clock/2300 Hours CST when I posted this, so please point out any spelling mistakes and stuff.**

 **Please read and review, my faithful audience! I appreciate CONSTRUCTIVE criticism and praise.**


	8. Aftermath

**ME: Time for medical problems to be dealt with.**

It was remarkable to see Lady Offee begin healing Lord Vader with the Force, Kallus reflected. Hands that could easily extinguish the lives of dozens of terrorists were now being used to keep the Emperor's Executor alive.

"I will tend to Lord Vader and stabilize him until the shuttle arrives, General," she said. "Check on my apprentice."

"It will be done, my lady," the ISB agent answered.

Commander Jade grimaced but shook her head as he approached. "Sir, I'm fine. The vest took the shot, focus on Lord Vader!"

"He is being tended to by your master, Commander," Kallus replied. He had no need to mention her Force healing skills were better then any medical training the COMPNOR officer had. "Besides, I outrank you and have orders from Lady Offee herself."

Removing the Apprentice Inquisitor's blast vest as gently as possible, Kallus was relieved to see (even though he hadn't smelled anything; it never hurt to confirm things visually) that Jade hadn't been burned; the vest had not only saved her life, but it had adequately dispersed the heat from the blast, even if the kinetic energy had knocked the Commander down (an unavoidable reality of simple physics).

"You got bruising under that top, don't you?" The agent asked.

"Yes, General," she replied.

"Looks like a bacta patch will work just fine, then," Kallus said.

"Yeah, a dunk in the tank would be a waste." The girl (admittedly, she WAS a Dark Jedi, but she was still thirteen at most; out of politeness, the ISB officer neglected to ask about her age) suddenly smiled, and Kallus turned to see a _Sentinel_ -class landing craft land.

 _Thank the Emperor, Lord Vader may survive this._

Lady Offee accompanied him onto the shuttle, pausing to send a glance towards Kallus.

Naturally, the Brigadier General took this as his cue to escort Commander Jade to the medbay, regardless of her protests. The moment he finished instructing a medic (thankfully female; Jade would be more comfortable due to the...area...where she was shot) about what happened to Jade, Tarkin appeared.

"Yes, Governor?" He asked.

"Come with me, General Kallus. I need to discuss a certain issue with you in private." The Eriaduan then said, "Get well soon, my dear," to Commander Jade.

Kallus followed Tarkin, debating whether or not the Grand Moff had been sincere in his head. Regardless, he followed orders and followed him into the conference room. Waiting were Admiral Thrawn, Count Vader, and Baroness (Tarkin had informed Kallus of her being granted the title by the Emperor while both men were walking) Tano.

"General Kallus," Admiral Thrawn asked, "are you familiar with Lothal Resettlement Camp Four-Three?"

Kallus nodded. "Indeed, Admiral. Nicknamed 'Tarkintown,' the area plays host to deported riffraff. In fact, an Imperial informant witnessed the terrorists distribute stolen supplies to the locals. You suspect the rebels will seek shelter from the residents?" That was the only reason the insurgents would provide aid; hoping to use the gratitude of the rabble later. What compassionate individual would willingly bring back the oppressive bureaucracy and corruption of the Old Republic?

"No, Agent Kallus," Tarkin said. "The locals launched an unprovoked attack on a few Stormtroopers recently, their little village has minerals critical to a classified beyond top secret project, and they are harboring a rogue Doctor Ria Clarr. The very first offense is one that cannot go unpunished and is reason enough for justice to be served; the rebels will learn that the Empire does not tolerate violence against the Military."

"I have heard of the rogue geologist," Kallus said. "I'd have led a raid myself, sir, but the Lothal cell has been our priority."

Tarkin nodded. "Assemble Delta Squad, General. I want that rebel whore Clarr captured and your informant extracted."

The Imperial agent did as ordered and was headed out in a MAAT/i gunship in about five minutes.

"ROE are clear for this mission," he briefed the four commandos; it was a great opportunity to work with four of the original clones of Jango Fett. "Set blasters to stun; the Grand Moff wants Target Alpha alive, and I'd prefer if we were able to extract my informant _without_ use of a body bag. You are cleared hot to engage any and all hostiles, treat all residents as potential threats until proven otherwise."

Some might call Kallus a fool for telling experienced veterans of the Clone Wars how to do their job, but it was SOP. Besides, it never hurt to make sure everyone knew what needed to be done.

"Sir, we're one minute out," the pilot called. "Opening doors now."

The doors opened. As soon as that was done, Kallus and Delta finished checking their weapons.

"Deploying tear gas."

Due to their fully sealed helmets, the five Imperials would be unaffected. However, Kallus would wager that the rebels of Tarkintown wouldn't be as lucky if he was a betting man.

Ropes dropped down, and they rappelled down quickly and efficiently.

It was easy enough to calibrate life-form scanners to display only certain individuals. Having uploaded profiles for both Clarr and Tsoklo (the Rodian informant), it was trivial to locate them instead of having to check every single individual Human female and Rodian male.

"Both subjects secure, Governor," Kallus reported. While Tsoklo would be compensated for his services, Doctor Clarr would be interrogated for any information she had. He felt no pity for the traitor.

"Good work, Agent Kallus. Count Vader will be able to clear out the camp now."

 ***CUT TO: STOLEN SHUTTLE***

Kanan heard Sabine groan as she woke up. It was to be expected; the fact she had only been knocked unconscious had been a miracle considering an Inquisitor had deflected a shot to her head.

Granted, there was bruising from the kinetic energy of the blaster bolts, on top of what was probably a concussion.

The Jedi Knight was grateful he and his fellow rebels had escaped with six shield generators, but they had not gotten away unscathed. Zeb, to his anger and despair, had lost his bo-rifle. Ezra was traumatized by that Sith Lord (Kanan had told him about the ancient enemy of the Jedi shortly after takeoff) nearly decapitating him with his own lightsaber. Kanan himself had lost both his arms.

Hera sighed. "While the locator beacon's been disabled, I'm not too familiar with this bird. Hell, this thing's even more conspicuous than the _Ghost_ ; they know the model of this ship, so the blockade'll notice us. We'll be lucky to leave the gravity well before a _Carrack_ shoots us down."

Kanan sighed. "Looks like we're gonna have to call Lando."

"I'm not gonna try and sleep with him, love," she said. "I'm not into eccentric businessmen anyway."

"He's a lecherous son of a bitch!"

The Twi'lek sighed. "Flirting with Sabine isn't the same as getting into her pants."

Thirty seconds later, Lando was smiling. "Greetings, Goddess of Ryloth. I see your consort-."

"Finish that joke and die."

 **ME: A/N: As you can see, everyone loves Lando. Even the guys.**

 **Sarcasm aside, three guesses for what will happen to Tarkintown. Hint: It involves a defoliator.**


	9. Out Of The Frying Pan

**ME: Time for a perspective from Phoenix Fleet.**

General Ahsoka Tano was an experienced Clone Wars veteran like him and Captain Ackbar, Commodore Jun Sato reflected. As the Padawan of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, she was a Commander and his second-in-command over the Five Hundred and First Legion until she left the Jedi Order after the Council expelled her for political convenience.

As a result, she knew that losses were to be expected. Any officer knew that no matter how hard they tried, no matter what tactics they used, men and women under their command would die.

But that does not mean we simply shrug as if we lost some credits while playing Sabaac.

"I hope the intel Captain Syndulla and her crew will bring is worth it, General Tano," Sato reflected as they exited hyperspace at the designated rendezvous point. "Phoenix Squadron went from twelve fighters to eight, ma'am, and we lost our primary shield generator."

Tano nodded. "Reminds me of the Clone Wars. Clones died all the time, and as far as I know my former master died when they were forced to obey Order Sixty-Six. It'll get harder, Commodore, but if we can bring down the Empire and replace it with something better, the sacrifices of people like Phoenix Squadron's four dead pilots will not be in vain."

"Thank you, ma'am. It's good to be reminded of that." The Commodore of Phoenix Fleet was not a young man, for he had served in the Republic Navy during the Clone Wars. He remembered all the problems of the Old Republic, but they paled compared to the unfeeling brutality and oppression of the Empire.

 _Surely the New Republic will be better, right? We'll have learned from our mistakes._

 ***CUT TO: STOLEN _SENTINEL_ -CLASS LANDING CRAFT***

"Did you feel that?"

Sabine, despite the headache she was going through, decided to listen like Zeb (Hera was busy flying).

Kanan grimaced. "Yes, Ezra," he replied. "I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if dozens of voices cried out in terror before being silenced."

The young Mandalorian woman frowned. "Tarkin and that Sith Lord must be behind it. There's only one group I know with the right amount of firepower and the lack of morals needed to exterminate a whole village worth of people."

The rest of the ride proceeded silently. When they did land, an RQ protocol droid greeted them.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "welcome to Mr. Calrissian's humble operation on Lothal. Is one of you qualified as a mechanic?"

Sabine smiled. "That's me, pal. I'm Sabine, who are you?"

"W-One-LE, ma'am. However, if you prefer a more organic name, young lady, you may refer to me as Willie."

Ezra looked into the distance and gasped. "Guys, look! It's Tarkintown!"

Sure enough, it looked like the refugee camp was now being demolished. Sabine used her helmet's rangefinder and saw that, besides vehicles being used to demolish the buildings, numerous bucketheads in CompForce gear stood around.

 _We armed the locals, and they have to know what not reporting us would get them. Normally I'd hope they just got sent to a "reeducation camp"-not that dying on Kessel mining for spice is a mercy-but this_ can't _be a coincidence._

"Nothing we can do," Sabine said. "Ezra, the Empire's gonna make an example out of anyone who doesn't treat us like some band of pirates. Even if we can fight, for now we have to leave just to keep Tarkin and that Sith from harming the locals."

She then turned back to Lando's droid. "Alright, Willie, you got anything for me?"

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _RELENTLESS_ ***

"Sir, scans have detected a ship leaving the surface in Sector Four. Its transponder code matches the stolen shuttle."

Rear Admiral (upper half) Kassius Konstantine smiled. "Good work, my boy. Order all available TIEs to intercept." Both Lord Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin were hard to please, but even they would be impressed at the Relentless Battle Group destroying the local rebel cell once and for all.

Another technician, this one a female Umbaran, frowned. "Admiral, I just detected the same transponder in Sector Nine."

Konstantine raised an eyebrow. "Unlikely, but rescan just to be sure."

A third technician cursed in Huttese. "Admiral Konstantine, I just detected the same signature in Sectors Five and Eleven. Sir, I repeat, that IFF code's in two sectors at once. They must be trying to trick us."

The first technician cleared his throat. "Sir, Commander Rudor from Spark Squadron just reported in. He says it's some kind of device sending out a signal."

"A TIE in Sector Nine is reporting another device, Admiral."

Konstantine bit his tongue before he could curse; it was an annoying pain, but he could not look uncontrolled in front of his subordinate. "Order all fighters to destroy these devices," he stated. "We have to narrow it down. COM, inform Lord Tion and coordinate with the _Devastator_ Group. The rebels cannot escape."

 _Lord Vader will have our heads just like those Army idiots Tarkin had decapitated._ Of course, the Admiral had no need to remind the crew of the Relentless of that.

"Sir!" Another technician called. "Scans have detected a _Sentinel_ -class landing craft moving to escape the atmosphere. Transponder's offline, but I'm pretty sure, Admiral, that it's the rebel craft."

"Order all TIEs to intercept that craft and destroy it! COM, inform Tion and vector in _Carracks_ ; we cannot let them escape!"

 ***CUT TO: STOLEN _SENTINEL_ -CLASS LANDING CRAFT***

"Incoming Imps!" Zeb reported.

"Hera," said Ezra, "I think they know we're onboard."

The Twi'lek smiled. "Unfortunately for the bucketheads, they're too late. Chopper, are we clear of the gravity well and coordinates set?"

" _Affirmative,_ " was the response.

"Then say hello to hyperspace, boys and girls!"

 ***CUT TO: LORD VADER'S TIE ADVANCED***

"My lord," Tion reported via the holoprojector, "I regret to inform you that, despite my aid, Admiral Konstantine failed to stop the rebels from escaping the system."

Konstantine recoiled in shock and his right hand went to the collar of his tunic, evidently expecting a painful death via a Force choke.

However, Vader smiled under his mask. Unknown to the rebels, the shield generators had all been tagged with trackers. Only three of the generators were aboard, however; the rest had been offloaded and remained on Lothal.

Probably left as payment for some criminal who helped them, for if they discovered that the generators were bait they would have offloaded all of them.

"No need to worry, Admiral Tion. Have all of the _Devastator_ Group prepared for immediate departure. Admiral Konstantine, your command is to remain here and guard the planet."

Vader needed to introduce himself to the rest of the rebel movement.

 **ME: A/N: Konstantine just got scapegoated like he did with his technician in canon. Fortunately, no one died just like in canon (odds are Vader can tell if he's lying, and like ESB he's too focused on a certain person to choke any hapless underlings).**

 **I imagine Sato as a Clone Wars vet because, face it, he's not grandpa-age like Tarkin but his hair indicates he's no spring chicken.**

 **Also, "HIMS" stands for "His Imperial Majesty's Ship."**


	10. Into the Fryer

**ME: Time for the Empire to kick Phoenix Squadron's _shebs_.**

"Commodore Sato, sir," the lead technician reported via comlink, "the upgrades to the _Ghost's_ thermocouples and thermophotovoltaics are almost complete."

Sato nodded, while Ahsoka smiled. She was no scientist or engineer, but the one Padawan instructed by Anakin Skywalker knew the thermocouples converted heat from the ship's fusion reactor into electricity for the _Ghost_ , while the thermophotovoltaics worked like regular solar panels but converted infrared light rather than visible light emitted by a hot surface into power.

"Looks like Captain Syndulla will have a welcome surprise when she and the _Ghost_ cell arrive with the intel, ma'am," the Commodore said. "General, are you and Senator Organa sure about giving Jarrus a commission as a Colonel?"

The Togruta nodded. "Of course, Commodore. Like me, Kanan served in the Clone Wars, albeit not as extensively due to his younger age. He's a proven leader-he's actually formally in charge of the Ghost crew; I gave orders to Hera simply because she's his second-in-command and was less likely to be captured and interrogated by the Empire-and we don't have a limitless supply of veterans and defected Imp officers, so we can't be picky."

Sato nodded. "Thank you for explaining the decision, ma'am. Hopefully, General Tano, he's as good as you say."

"General Tano, Commodore Sato," the Lieutenant in charge of communications said, "the _Liberator_ reports a contact is coming out of hyperspace."

A female technician reported in. "Ma'am, sir, the contact has exited hyperspace. Be advised: Subject appears to be an Imperial landing craft, _Sentinel_ -class."

Ahsoka reached out into the Force. "I can sense them, young one."

"Ma'am, this could be a trap," she stated.

"I agree." Sato turned to the communications officer. "Lieutenant, alert the fleet; order all ships to have their radars on stand by, I want shields up, Phoenix Squadron ready to intercept, and everyone ready to engage if necessary. Warning Yellow, weapons hold."

As the orders went out, the technician cleared her throat. "Commodore, the shuttle's velocity is too slow for an attack run or even a recon mission. My brother used to fly a _Sentinel_ before defecting, and he says they can go as fast as a Y-wing. They have to know we can shoot them down."

Ahsoka looked into Sato's eyes. "Commodore, I assure you that I can sense them onboard. However, just in case, feel free to make sure."

"Thank you, General." He turned to the Lieutenant manning the comm station. "Get me an audio-only frequency to that shuttle, encrypt it so they don't recognize my voice."

"Yes, sir."

Sato tapped his earpiece. "Unidentified ship, proceed to identify yourself immediately or be blasted."

" _Phoenix Home_ ," came the reply, "this is Captain Hera Syndulla, XO of _Ghost_ cell. I send Authorization Code One-Two-One-Eight-One-Five, over."

He frowned. "Please stand by, Captain."

The Commodore turned to Ahsoka after switching off his earpiece. "This could be a trap, ma'am. That could be an Imp using her voice; Captain Syndulla was the only one who knew that code, but she could've been captured and interrogated into giving up that code or could be under duress."

"Perhaps."

Sato reactivated his earpiece. "Me again, Captain. Interrogative: What happened to your mother? Over."

The response was preceded by an increase in anger Ahsoka _felt_. "YOU GO AND FUCK YOURSELF, YOU KRIFFING SCHUTTA!"

"Apologies, Captain." Sato had previously signaled the com Lieutenant (just as startled by Hera's outburst) to cease disguising his voice. "You showed up in an Imperial craft, I had to make sure."

Hera sighed. "Sorry about that, sir. My mother's a sensitive topic; Lothal's just as beefed up as we feared, we had to bug out. Fortunately, we were able to leave with three shield generators, but be advised: Kanan lost both his arms, I repeat, Spectre One lost both arms. How copy, over?"

Sato grimaced. "Understood, Captain. No need to apologize, I know why you reacted the way you did. I'll have the sickbay prepped for Colonel Jarrus immediately, over."

"Roger-wait, _Colonel_ Jarrus?"

Ahsoka took over. "Kanan was given the rank in light of the need for officers and his own experience and merit as a leader."

"I'll pass it on, ma'am. _Ghost_ Actual out."

Shortly after the shuttle docked, however, it detached from the ship and started to drift into space.

"What?!" Sato roared. "We need those generators!"

Suddenly his earpiece beeped. "Spectre Two to Commodore Sato, come in! Sir, the generators were tagged with trackers. I say again, we were followed!"

"Fleet Actual," Captain Ackbar reported in, "this is _Liberator_ Actual. Be advised: We're scanning an additional ship entering the AO, should be coming out of hyperspace in t-minus thirty seconds. Do you copy, over?"

"Copy, Captain Ackbar." Ahsoka tapped at a panel. "Attention Phoenix Fleet, prepare to engage. Warning Red, weapons free."

The crew of the _Ghost_ entered the bridge while the sensor technician brought up displayed the situation via the holotable.

"Ma'ams and sirs," she began, "we're tracking one lone TIE-type target. It's radar profile doesn't match anything in our databanks; we only know it's a TIE because of the visual _Liberator_ acquired. Fortunately for us, no other ships have entered the system and no outgoing transmissions have been detected."

"Move Phoenix Squadron to intercept," Sato ordered immediately. "It's only one fighter, but I'd rather overestimate this scout rather than underestimate him."

"Or her," Gerazeb "Zeb" Orrelios stated. "That Imp could be a bitch for all we know, sir. Hard to tell under a bucket."

 ***CUT TO: HANGAR OF _PHOENIX HOME_ ***

"Safeguard, Safeguard, Safeguard," the voice of the Captain of _Phoenix Home_ ordered. "All hands to action stations. Repeat, all hands to action stations."

That awoke Phoenix Eight from her nap (as a rebel, it was important to get sleep where she could).

"Another one, sir?" She asked Phoenix One, the Commander of Phoenix Squadron.

The older pilot shook his head as they ran to the hangar bay. "Unlikely, there were only five people and a droid from what I've heard. No way they'd need _two_ shuttles."

"Attention Phoenix Squadron," the Captain ordered via loudspeaker again, "proceed to intercept the bandit. Repeat, all pilots are to intercept the bandit that has dropped out of hyperspace."

"I hate it when I'm right."

The pilots of Phoenix Squadron dressed in Phase II clone flight suits, acquired either through defecting clones or the black market. Though their faces could be seen because of the transparent visors, like TIE pilots they were fully sealed in the event of an emergency.

Eight got into the cramped cockpit (while still male-dominated, female pilots were sought after for A-wing duty due to being smaller on average then men) of her fighter and sealed the canopy before strapping in.

 _Okay, cockpit's fully sealed and pressurized; life support's online as well, and this suit's fully sealed and ready if everything else fails. I'm strapped in. Now time to get off the ground._

Activating her repulsorlifts, Eight hovered aboard the deck via electrostatic levitation, retracted her landing gear, activated her ion engines, checked shields and weapons, and stood by for orders.

"Phoenix Three," a Lieutenant called in, "ready to engage."

"Phoenix Five, standing by for launch."

"Phoenix One, Phoenix Eight here," the Ensign finished off. "Good to go, sir."

"Flight Control," the Commander said, "we are ready to launch."

"Copy, Phoenix One," came the female ATC. "Stand by."

Yellow warning lights flashed, and the deck crew (dressed in bright vacuum suits for both identification and in the event of an emergency like the force field being disabled) sealed the doors to the hangar in addition to their normal duties.

The blast door opened, and a green light flashed.

"Fighter flight, you are cleared for launch. Happy hunting."

"Thanks, Flight Control."

The four A-wings exited _Phoenix Home_ and joined up with the other half of the squadron (which had detached from the docking tubes of the corvettes).

"Fleet Actual," said Phoenix One, "this is Phoenix One. Standing by for sitrep, over."

"Commander," Commodore Sato replied, "be advised: Although only one TIE has dropped out of hyperspace so far, others may be on the way. Repeat, there is a chance of enemy reinforcements. Regardless, do _not_ , I say again, do _not_ underestimate this Imperial. He could very well be an elite pilot since he's gone in alone, and it looks like this TIE has ray shields. As soon as he's dead, jump to hyperspace; this system has been compromised. I'm sending coordinates now, the Fleet will cover your retreat like our raid on the Garel Shipyards. Do you copy, over?"

"Copy all, sir," the Commander replied. "We'll get it down, you can count on us. Isn't that right, Phoenix Squadron?"

"HOOYAH!" They replied.

"Alright, then, ladies and gents. I want shields up and weapons at the ready, stay in formation and don't play hero. We do this right, we won't lose anyone like back in the Garel system."

Garel was a bittersweet victory for all of the eight remaining pilots, including Eight-sure the raid was a success, but one-third of the unit was a price in blood no one wanted to pay.

"Fighter, coming in on an intercept vector!" Phoenix Two, Lieutenant Commander (and the XO as a result) of Phoenix Squadron said.

"Squad, light 'em up! Say again, engage! Engage!"

The A-wings of Phoenix Squadron opened fire, each of the eight fighters twin laser cannons sending deadly red particle beams through space.

To Eight's disappointment, all of the shots missed as she watched the buckethead evasively maneuver before firing green bolts at them.

The rebel Ensign could only be gape in utter horror as she watched the destruction of Phoenix One. His reactor's magnetic containment field must've been disabled, for instead of an explosion it seemed like the A-wing was simply _vaporized_ by escaping plasma.

"AGH!" Phoenix Two screamed. "Son of a bitch, that asshole took out my shields and hit my hyperdrive! Everyone, get clear! Get-."

Phoenix Two's ship exploded and cut him off, the fighter now reduced to fragmented debris. The only thing close to an upside was that the six remaining members of Phoenix Squadron heeded his warning.

"He's coming in too fast!" Phoenix Three, acting Squadron Leader, yelled. The pilots scrambled, attempting to regroup.

" _Ghost_ Actual to _Liberator_ Actual," Captain Syndulla said, "watch out. He's going for your ship, advise you raise shields and open fire."

"Ma'am," Eight told the Twi'lek officer, "be advised: We lost Phoenix One and Two, do you copy? Over."

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF _PHOENIX HOME_ ***

Ezra watched as Sabine gasped, and he couldn't blame her.

"Those two were the best in all of Phoenix!" She said.

The TIE, which had destroyed the close-in weapon systems (CIWS) of three separate corvettes, turned around and moved towards Phoenix Home.

 _Oh Force, he's going for what any buckethead would assume is our flagship. And he guessed_ correctly _._

"He's heading right for us!" Ezra stated.

"Enemy fighter's making for the command ship!"

There was a series of explosion, and Sato swore before yelling, "Damage report!"

"Sir," the Lieutenant at the weapons station reported, "shields are intact but he took out the automated point-defense guns! I repeat, the Z-Zero-Sixes have been destroyed; they were attached to the ship but not covered by our deflector shields, they stood no chance."

"How can one fighter best our entire squadron?" The Captain of _Phoenix Home_ asked angrily as the TIE fired on two more A-wings. While the first pilot undoubtedly died in the explosion, luckily the second one was able to eject.

"These pilots are outmatched!" Hera replied. "We need to get involved and turn the tables!"

"I agree," Ahsoka responded. "Alright, everyone; to the _Ghost_ , we got four people to save."

"I have a bad feeling about this," Zeb grunted as they ran.

 **ME: A/N: While there's nothing canon about Hera's mother, the fact she's never brought up but her father is is a load of Fridge Horror.**

 **BTW, thermophotovoltaics and thermocouples are real life tech.**

 **"Hooyah" is a real life battle cry in the American Navy.**

 **The Battle of Phoenix Fleet will be more realistic than in canon. Face it, Vader somehow was able to take down _Phoenix Home_ with a pair of laser cannons; did they buy their shields off _Craigslists_?**

 **Last note: The reason that Phoenix Squadron is wearing Phase II flight suits is the same reason _Phoenix Home_ is a Clone Wars-era vessel; the rebels can't afford that much new stuff at this point, so they reuse and recycle whenever possible. Also, _unlike_ TCW and _ROTS_ the helmets are fully sealed (but you can still see the faces of the pilots due to the visors being transparent). Although the helmet is meant to be a fusion between TIE and rebel helmets, face it: The gas transfer tubes are _useless_ in light of the helmet not being sealed, so if a clone was exposed to vacuum he'd be screwed anyway, making the tubes a needlessly expensive addition. The idiot that designed that should be fired and blacklisted. And the canonical Phoenix helmets carry Unfortunate Implications anyway; note that they have half-visors (similar to Hera's in the trailer, where she pilots a B-wing, and the ones used by X-wing pilots) but they're opaque, which is useless in space since there's no need to look intimidating. Like the ImpNav redshirts having their cap visors tucked down, Faceless Goons is in effect; it saves animation money and keeps the viewers from getting attached to the cannon fodder.**

 **Final note (this was a long AN): Zeb just said the classic line of _Star Wars_. I couldn't resist.**


	11. Martyrs

**ME: Now time for the crew of the _Ghost_ (AKA Spectre Team; it sounds cooler than " _Ghost_ cell") to try their luck at fighting a Dark Lord of the Sith.**

The seven rebels moved as quickly as possible to where the _Ghost_ was docked, the crew of _Phoenix Home_ wisely clearing the way.

A pair of guards standing attention at the airlock saw the group and stood at attention.

"Officers on deck!" The older of the two said while they both saluted.

Ahsoka returned their salutes. "At ease, Marines. We're taking the _Ghost_ to engage the bandit."

"Ma'am," the senior Marine, a Corporal, said, "we have orders from Commodore Sato to accompany you aboard for security."

The Togruta Jedi nodded. "Alright, Corporal, I require no escort but I'll allow you two aboard."

The nine rebels entered and found several technicians.

"Captain Syndulla," said the lead technician, "we've finished upgrading your thermal converters."

"Thanks, Electrician's Mate First Class," Hera said gratefully, "but you and your team need to get back aboard the frigate. My ship's not as shielded, you'll be better protected aboard _Phoenix Home_."

"Of course, ma'am."

Zeb, Sabine, and Ezra moved to the gunnery stations as the rebel sailors headed for the airlock while Ahsoka, Hera, Kanan, and the Marines headed for the cockpit.

Hera strapped in along with Kanan (who had to be helped by a Marine due to his lack of arms) and Ahsoka after sitting down. "Everyone, check in."

"Tail gun, check!" Zeb reported.

"Turret, check!" Sabine called in.

"Nose gun, check! Check!" Ezra told her.

"Alright, kids, do Mom and Dad proud."

Ahsoka tapped at her earpiece after they detached. "Commodore, be advised: _Ghost_ is moving to engage, over."

"Copy that, General," Sato replied. "Be advised: He just took out the rest of Phoenix Squadron, I say again, the last fighters have been destroyed. You and Spectre Team are on your own, ma'am."

"Copy that, Fleet Actual. We'll give 'em hell, get ready to jump as soon as we're clear. We'll RV at Safe Haven, how copy? Over."

"Negative, General Tano. No one gets left behind, and I don't want you taking on that TIE alone. If he can shoot down eight A-wings, he can shoot down a Corellian freighter."

"Just have your escape vectors set, then," Ahsoka replied. "Spectre Zero out."

The _Ghost_ pursued the TIE, the smaller vessel evasively maneuvering but taking the time to disable every point-defense gun Phoenix Fleet had.

" _Liberator_ Actual to _Ghost_ Actual," Captain Ackbar said. "We're trying to hit him with our turbolasers, but he's too fast and small. Now I know how the Imperial Navy feels."

"Acknowledged, _Liberator_ Actual," Hera replied as predator and prey moved beyond the fleet. "My boys and girls can take 'em out with precision, so hold your fire. I'd rather not risk any friendly fire, over."

"Roger that."

"The Force is strong with him," Ahsoka said. "Kanan, let's find out how strong."

"How can I help?" After losing both his arms to the Sith Lord, the younger Jedi wasn't as confident in his abilities.

"Just remember your training," Ahsoka replied as she put her hand on his back.

After they reached out into the Force, Ezra reported in. "I think I know who it is! Back on Lothal, I sensed something. Kanan did too! The fear, the anger, the hate...it's the Sith Lord we faced!"

Ahsoka desperately tried not to believe it was who she was sensing-this couldn't be Anakin, he could never fall to the dark side. It was impossible-.

" _The apprentice lives,_ " a deep baritone said.

Ahsoka screamed in pain as her eyes widened before falling unconscious.

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF THE _LIBERATOR_ ***

"Captain Ackbar," his sensor technician said. "I'm detecting additional contacts coming out of hyperspace in t-minus thirty!"

The Mon Calamari gasped. "No wonder why that Imp destroyed our point-defenses; he's acting as bait, now we only have our turbolasers!"

He tapped his earpiece. " _Liberator_ Actual calling all available units, come in! It's a trap!"

 ***CUT TO: COUNT CHAD VADER'S TIE INTERCEPTOR***

Seventy-six TIEs of varying types exited hyperspace, one of them being a TIE Interceptor.

The brother of Lord Vader smiled under his helmet. "Brother, we have entered the system and await your orders."

"Target the frigate, it's the enemy flagship," he ordered. "Destroy their engines and shields as well as any remaining weaponry, but I want these rebels alive. The leaders of this insurrection must be interrogated, and if the crew of the frigate are allowed to evacuate the corvettes will have to retrieve the escape pods. That weakness of these terrorist insurgents will be their downfall."

"Right away." Chad switched channels. "Lady Offee, take Commander Jade and Group A. Raana and Group B, with me."

"On it, Chad."

Raana rarely used his given name, but Chad didn't comment. He had a job to do.

Group A were all TIE fighters, while Group B had a squadron of TIE bombers and two TIE fighter squadrons for escort.

"Gold Leader," he told the Commander of the bomber pilots, "target the shield generator. I need the shields down in order to disable the engines; we cannot allow them to escape. Blue Leader, Red Leader, you and your fighters are to guard Yellow Squadron with your lives. Allow the rebels to flee, and I will personally report any failure to obey your orders directly to Lord Vader."

The Corellian corvettes opened fire with their turbolasers, sending red particle beams through space.

"Count Vader," said Barriss, "the rebel ships are concentrating fire on your group."

Undoubtedly the insurrectionist gunners were prioritizing the bombers for an obvious reason; while the rest of the TIEs could strafe, it would take the bomblet generators aboard the bombers to crack the shields of the frigate.

As soon as the TIEs had a clear shot at the frigate, they opened fire. Against a capital ship, even the most inexperienced pilots couldn't miss such a large target with or without radar.

The TIE bombers got above the ship, and dozens of energy bombs rained down upon it.

"Shields down, Count Vader," Gold Leader reported in.

"I'll take the engines," Chad replied. "Everyone else, destroy all remaining weaponry and initiate a tactical jump; I want us out of range of the enemy fleet."

Technically the group of rebels wasn't even a battle group, just a squadron, but no one bothered to correct the Count of the Empire.

Getting behind the ship, Chad noted that, as with all _Pelta_ -class frigates, it (he refused to refer to a rebel vessel as _she_ ) had one primary engine unit and two auxiliaries.

Angling his shots for maximum deflection, Chad fired his six laser cannons three times.

"Count Vader," said Baron Fel, "objective achieved. Entering hyperspace now, sir."

 _I wonder if the good rebels know we're using this frigate as bait. Oh well-even if they abandon the escape pods, hundreds of insurgents are onboard for both the reeducation camps and interrogation._

"Gold One here, going for the hyperdrive!"

Count Vader cursed silently. "No, you idiot!"

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF _PHOENIX HOME_ ***

Sato grimaced as the sensor technician reported that the TIEs had escaped into hyperspace. "Damage report!"

"Sir," said the Lieutenant at the operations station, "we lost all the engines. On top of that, Engineering reports the hyperdrive was damaged by the last attack by that bomber. They're trying to stabilize it, but things don't look good."

The Commodore swore. Phoenix Squadron had been entirely annihilated-save for Phoenix Eight, who had been rescued by the _Liberator_ -the shields had been disabled, the engines were out, the hyperdrive was in bad shape, and _Phoenix Home_ had no weapons to defend itself.

"Sir," Captain Syndulla said via comlink, "from what I've heard from the rest of the fleet things don't look good. If she's crippled, you must abandon ship."

"I will not initiate an evacuation with those fighters around!" Sato replied. "We'll be helpless in escape pods!"

" _Liberator_ Actual to Fleet Actual!" Said Captain Ackbar. "Commodore Sato, we have bogies coming out of hyperspace, looks like Imperial warships!"

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _EXECUTRIX_ ***

Grand Moff Tarkin smiled. His flagship, the _Executrix_ , was a powerful _Imperial I_ -class Star Destroyer. The centerpiece of the _Executrix_ Battle Group, she was armed with dozens of turbolasers and ion cannons capable of eradicating rebel blockade runners and carried a wing of TIEs on top of ships like assault gunboats and Skipray blastboats.

Accompanying the _Executrix_ were three _Victory II_ -class Star Destroyers and eight _Carrack_ -class light cruisers. Though not as well armed (though still dangerous) as the _Executrix_ , the smaller Destroyers were cheaper (one could buy three VSDIIs for the price of one ISD), faster in hyperspace (standard ISDs used Class Two hyperdrives, only half as fast as the Class One model used by VSDIIs), and required far less crew. The _Carracks_ were more than twice as long as the CR90 corvettes commonly used by pirates and rebels and much better armed, with two flanking each Star Destroyer. The light cruisers protected the _Executrix_ and the VSDIIs from missile and starfighter attacks, while the larger Imperial warships protected the _Carracks_ from bigger enemy vessels; it was a symbiotic relationship.

"Sir, the other ships have jumped out of hyperspace."

Tarkin nodded. "Excellent, Lieutenant. Sensor, scan the terrorist flotilla; I want a sitrep."

The sensor technician did as ordered. "Grand Moff, the enemy fleet matches the description of the insurgent unit that attacked the Garel Shipyards. Five Corellian corvettes, one _Pelta_ -class frigate. Be advised: The latter appears to be heavily damaged, sir. Additionally, Lord Vader appears to be in pursuit of a rebel freighter."

The Governor of the Outer Rim smiled. The _Executrix_ Battle Group outnumbered the rebels by just over two-to-one; between his battle group and Tion's, they would be crushed like insects.

Tarkin tapped his earpiece. "Lord Vader," he said, "we have entered the system and await your orders."

Vader: "Move the fleet to block their escape, but no turbolasers or TIEs. I say again, ion cannons and tractor beams only, Governor. I want these rebels alive."

"Of course, Lord Vader." Tarkin switched frequencies, knowing Vader's decision made sense; after all, there had to be more to this rebel alliance than a simple squadron of small ships, and interrogating the survivors would help restore order faster. "All ships, stay in formation and move to engage. I want them taken alive, I say again, ion cannons and tractor beams only. Use no turbolasers and dispatch no TIEs; any officer who fails to obey the rules of engagement will be reported to Lord Vader." The Eriaduan paused to take a breath, knowing no one would risk invoking the wrath of the Emperor's Executor. "All available troops, prepare to board."

The 501st Legion, currently embarked aboard the _Devastator_ , would easily overwhelm the defenders of any rebel vessel with their superior skills. The 105th CompForce Division would also be ideal, but more so for their fanaticism and disposability.

 _Droids probably have more self-preservation instincts than those cretins._

 ***CUT TO: COCKPIT OF _GHOST_ ***

Kanan shook his head as a Marine helpfully held a comlink for him; there was no way Sato could afford delaying now. "It's now or never, Commodore. You must abandon ship."

"I regretfully agree, Colonel Jarrus," the older man replied. "Captain, give the order. Captain Syndulla, keep the Imperials occupied. We'll be vulnerable during the evacuation and recovery efforts."

"Too late!"

The hyperdrive must've detonated, for the entire ship exploded and was reduced to fragments.

Kanan _felt_ the hundreds of voices crying out in the Force.

The Marines gaped in horror. "Everyone we knew was onboard _Phoenix Home_ , all our friends..."

The Jedi Knight shook his head and shouted, "Marine, I need that comlink open! Now!"

"Yes, sir." Force, even a normal person like Hera could tell how devastated the Marine was just by his voice.

"Phoenix Fleet," Kanan began, "this is Colonel Kanan Jarrus, call sign Spectre One. Due to the death of Commodore Sato and the incapacitation of General Tano, I am assuming command over all remaining units and order an immediate retreat. I say again, all ships are to jump to hyperspace and eventually RV at Safe Haven."

Captain Ackbar immediately responded. "But, sir, we can't just abandon you and Spectre Team!"

"My ship can evade turbolaser fire, Captain Ackbar," Hera replied. "Yours can't, now follow the Colonel's orders!"

Fortunately Ackbar and the other Captains knew what was at stake, for the five corvettes escaped into hyperspace one-by-one. Ion cannon rounds narrowly missed; the Imperial warships must've just come into range.

 _Ironic-I worry about being a part of an organized military force after the Clone Wars, but the first order I give saves thousands of lives._

"Fleet is away," Sabine reported, somewhat redundantly. "Get us out of here!"

"Yeah, this buckethead's not making it easy!" Zeb added.

"Hate to spoil your fun, Zeb," Hera responded, "but I'm ordering Chopper to divert all power to shields and engines! Including cannons!"

"Hera, what are you doing?!" Sabine asked as the astromech obeyed.

"I think I know," Ezra answered for her.

Kanan smiled; in spite of everything, it seemed a certain Twi'lek rebel had a trick up her sleeve. "You're gonna surprise our friend in the TIE?"

"Ding, ding, ding."

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _DEVASTATOR_ ***

"Admiral," said the sensor technician, "the last rebel ship is moving into range."

Lord Tion smirked, pleased with his good luck. The fact the majority of the insurgent fleet had narrowly escaped (even if the flagship had been lost with all hands) annoyed him, but the capture of the rebel freighter that apparently carried an important cell of terrorists could very well earn him a promotion from Lord Darth Vader himself.

"Excellent," the Rear Admiral replied. "Lieutenant Zataire, have a tractor beam readied. You are to personally activate it on my signal."

"Sir, yes, sir." A young woman from Naboo, Padmé Zataire manned the weapons station and came from a loyal Imperial family. Not as prominent as the House of Tion, but Zataire still had proper breeding.

 _That's more than can be said of the rebel rabble._

"Target has moved into range, sir," reported the sensor tech.

"Lieutenant?"

"Tractor beam ready, sir," came the reply.

Wait for it, wait for it...

"Now!" Tion ordered.

"Activating tractor beam, sir!" Zataire replied. "Okay, it's locked onto a ship!"

"Dammit!" The sensor tech swore. "Admiral Tion, target has escaped into hyperspace!"

"Impossible!" Tion replied. "We have a lock!"

Zataire shrieked; since it was unbecoming of both an officer of the Imperial Navy and the daughter of an Imperial Navy Captain, she had to be seriously frightened. "Sir, the gunner in charge of that beam reports it's...Lord Vader's ship."

Tion gasped. He looked around, and noted everyone on the bridge, officer and enlisted alike, wisely had looks of fear on their faces.

"Re-release him immediately," Captain Montferrat ordered, his voice shaky.

Zataire did so, while Tion straightened his cap. "It's not your fault, Lieutenant."

She sighed in relief and turned to him, her eyes hidden by a pair of tactical glasses. "Thank you so much, sir."

"But Lord Vader won't know that."

 **ME: A/N: See, Darth? If you choke your underlings for every minor failing, they'll start to lie to you.**

 **I figured it would make more sense if _Phoenix Home_ was taken down by bombers than Vader himself. If two strafing runs from a TIE Advanced were enough to take her down, the frigate would've been toast the moment those two Imperial light cruisers showed up during the raid earlier on that Imp convoy.**

 **I killed off Sato not out of racism (I am half-Vietnamese on my mother's side; not that I care about a person's race at all, I believe in individuals) but for a Player (or in this case, Reader) Punch. Considering Tua survived in my headcanon, I wanted to make an emotional impact on y'all like how we all felt when she died in _Siege of Lothal_. Here's some Fridge Horror: Considering the Databank says there were 900 or so crew aboard _Home_ and we only saw three escape pods, realistically the majority of the crew got killed off anyway (unless the animators were lazy). I gave y'all a bit of an inversion of What Measure is a Mook (or in this case, Red Shirt) by having Phoenix Eight, a pilot who I haven't even named yet, and two random nameless guards be the sole survivors. Plus I did end up deconstructing his Honor Before Reason tendencies-seriously, he reminds one of an Imperial (hah!) Japanese Navy officer, only unlike IJN guys Sato was smart enough to abandon ship when the ISDs showed up.**

 **I figured it would make sense if the rebel infantry/security aboard the ships were the rebel equivalent of US Marines, plus I am a USMC fan who wants to become a Marine myself.**

 **Lieutenant Zataire is a canon character mentioned in an excerpt of _The Rebellion Begins_ I read via Google Books. I gave her tactical glasses like Mara since she works aboard an ISD and to maintain Faceless Goons without being impractical like in canon (where the unnamed ImpNav characters have their cap visors tucked down, which would realistically hinder their vision). She's named after ****Padmé for an obvious reason; assuming she was, say, 26 around 5 BBY, she'd have been born in 31 BBY, a year after the invasion of Naboo. Considering Captain Zataire owns a couple of plantations on Naboo, he could be from that planet and odds are everyone's favorite fourteen-year old Queen (admittedly a young age to be elected, but hey, for all we know the Humans of Naboo gave the Gungans the vote) had a number of girls named after her.**

 **Yes, Lord Tion is a case of Aristocrats Are Evil. I already had the dude scapegoat Konstantine, and from what I've read he was a...pleasant...individual in Legends.**

 **Final note: I have a theory on why Zeb, Hera, and Sabine were able to survive in the stolen TIE. I doubt Sabine was able to do anything beyond apply a new paint job to it, since the financial problems of the crew were the cause of two separate plots in Season One. True, TIE cockpits are larger than modern ones, but odds are the life support system aboard wouldn't be able to support three people (especially Zeb, who as a Lasat likely needs more oxygen just due to size than either Sabine or Hera).**

 **Then it hit me, along with at least one other person (who actually came up with the idea):**

 ** _It_ _was modified to accommodate Baron Valen Rudor's oversized ego._**


	12. Reflection

**ME: Time for Vader and Ahsoka to meet with their respective subordinates.**

Vader had been annoyed by the Devastator catching his TIE Advanced with a tractor beam, but there was a reason he hadn't had the 181st help him fight the rebel freighter.

 _The apprentice of Anakin Skywalker lives. My Padawan-._

A pause. _No. She was_ Skywalker's _Padawan, not mine. She was never my student-she will_ become _my apprentice._

He landed his fighter in the hangar. It was a pity, Vader reflected, that Gold One had gone for the hyperdrive of the rebel flagship against Chad's orders. With the crew abandoning ship, the five corvettes would've had to rescue them and could've been disabled by ion cannons. Even if they had left their comrades for the Imperials, hundreds or even a thousand or so terrorists would've been in escape pods and awaiting capture. Plenty of labor for the reeducation camps or interrogation subjects.

 _But then that idiot went and damaged the hyperdrive, so with the frigate and her crew destroyed the other insurgents had no reason to stay. Not even a consolation prize of prisoners to capture._ Chad would've shot down the leader of Gold Squadron for his insolence, but a lucky rebel turbolaser gunner had killed the bomber pilot.

If Ahsoka Tano was alive, Vader was sure she was a leading figure in the rebellion. He had to turn her over to the dark side and make her see that the Empire was the only solution to the galaxy's problems. She definitely had intelligence on the other rebel traitors, including the treacherous Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan, and could even lead him to a Jedi fugitive like Kenobi.

 _You think leaving me to die on Mustafar was the_ right _thing to do, Kenobi? I only survived on that forsaken planet because of the Force, and I still had to suffer in agony before my true master saved me. If not for the Force and extensive surgery, I would've died. One day I will repay the favor, you worthless baby-stealing_ hypocrite _._

Vader exited his TIE and made his way to the bridge. Since he had taken time to scan the debris of the rebel frigate, Tarkin had made his way over.

Along with the Grand Moff, Lady Offee, Chad, Raana, Kallus, and even Tion were present.

"Well done, Lord Vader," Tarkin said politely. "From what I hear, you took down eight A-wings by yourself. Very impressive."

"The enemy was _smashed_ , brother," said Chad. "I sense it in the Force-they have been demoralized with the destruction of their flagship. We have them on the run."

"And they can run all they like, my lord," Lady Offee added. "But in the end, I am sure that you will ensure they die tired."

Tion began to speak. "Apologies, my lord, for the fact you were caught in a tractor beam. I have identified the officer aboard responsible for that, Lieutenant-."

Vader brought his thumb and forefinger together, and the Human noble began to choke.

"I sense that you are _lying_ to me, Admiral," the Sith Lord said as Tarkin groaned; evidently he was concerned with the reaction from the House of Tion. _Stang; this is worth it, but will require paperwork._ "I cannot tolerate liars."

Vader clenched his fist, and Tion's windpipe was crushed. He gurgled as he fell to the deck and died.

Lady Offee, as expected, was unconcerned at the death of a detrimental officer. Tarkin seemed more annoyed than anything else but wisely did not voice a complaint; Kallus, on the other hand, looked horrified but Vader could sense that he was fascinated at what had occurred. Chad shrugged indifferently, while Raana rolled her eyes as if she was bored.

"Clear the bridge," Vader ordered, and they did so. A pair of Navy troopers in their traditional black uniforms (ironic considering Stormtroopers were more frequently employed for combat missions but their armor was normally white) grabbed Tion's corpse by the arms and dragged it away.

The doors closed, and the Sith Lord made sure they were sealed by using both the digital locks and the manual locks. Even if a skilled hacker was aboard the Devastator, they could not gain access to his private conversation with their computer skills, Vader reflected.

The Emperor's Executor knelt and keyed in the appropriate commands before lowering his head.

"Lord Vader," said his master, Lord Sidious. "Have you dealt with the rebels of the Lothal system?"

Vader raised his head. "Yes, Master. The flagship of the fleet they are working with has been destroyed; unfortunately, a bomber pilot disobeyed orders and damaged the hyperdrive. As a result, the remaining insurgents fled the system. These terrorists will have to be hunted down again."

"Thank you for your honestly," the Emperor replied. "Though I sense something else in your otherwise stunning victory."

"I believe the apprentice of Anakin Skywalker lives and is in league with the traitors."

"Are you certain?"

"It was _her_ ," Vader emphasized. "I sensed her presence aboard the Corellian freighter used by the Lothal cell. She could become another asset of the Empire."

"Like Lady Offee?" Palpatine said, his voice and feelings betraying genuine interest in the prospects of Ahsoka as a servant of the Empire.

"Indeed," the younger Sith Lord answered. "At worst, I capture her and interrogate her for the location of surviving Jedi like Kenobi."

"Very well, old friend. I wonder what would happen if we decided to repay the treachery of the House of Organa via the Base Delta Zero Intiative?"

It was a trick question. "Unwise, Master. Destroying Aldera or even just the Royal Palace would just make martyrs out of the Organas and provide the rebels with propaganda fuel. A wiser option would be to simply assassinate the Senator and blame it on Separatist holdouts, but even that could backfire. For now, I advise watching him closely."

"It appears Deputy Grand Vizier Sate Pestage underestimates your intelligence, Lord Vader. I will notify the Shadow Guard; they will assist you and the Inquisition in putting this insurrection down."

 ***CUT TO: COCKPIT OF THE _GHOST_ ***

As soon as they exited from hyperspace, Hera immediately began inputting new coordinates into the nav comp. "Chopper, is the hyperdrive still online?"

 _Affirmative,_ was the response. _All stealth technology is active as well, though I must warn you that we don't have a cloaking device or even proper stealth coating._

The Twi'lek grimaced. Sure, her ship had been modified to be harder to detect, but it wasn't remotely invisible. Spectre Team had had to retreat before, and once again they could only run and live to fight another day.

 _How many people were on Phoenix Home? The crew alone was around nine hundred or so, and from what the Marines told me their company was stationed aboard to defend against boarders._

 _My fault, I should've had Chopper check those shield generators. I was an idiot, how could I_ not _see that they were-._

"Captain Syndulla, ma'am?"

It was the younger of the two Marines, a Lance Corporal. He looked a little older than Sabine, but barely.

She finished inputting the coordinates and had the navigation computer start calculating the route. "Yes, Marine?

"What's going to happen to us? Literally everyone else in our unit went down with _Phoenix Home_."

Hera winced. "I supposed whoever gets promoted to Commodore will want Ahsoka guarded, she is our General. And I'd be happy with you two tagging along; the more, the merrier."

The nav comp beeped; calculations had been completed.

Without hesitation, she initiated their second and final jump. "Alright, we're en route to Safe Haven now."

"Thank God, ma'am, I thought we were gonna die back there. I hated being in the fight without a rifle in my hands or even manning a turret. It felt dishonorable just standing in this cockpit while my _tate_ Marines were getting blown up with Commodore Sato, Captain Syndulla."

Ah, so that was why Hera thought she had noticed a Concord Dawn accent. "No, you followed orders, Marine. You thought we were just gonna deal with a fighter and you would be on assignment, you had no idea there'd be any bombers coming in. Your friends would want you to fight on in their memory."

"Thank you, ma'am."

 ***CUT TO: COLONEL KANAN JARRUS'S QUARTERS ABOARD THE _GHOST_ ***

Kanan locked the door behind him. "Glad to see you back on your feet, Ahsoka." He once had tried calling her "Master Tano," but she rejected it out of modesty.

 _Still, she could've easily become a Jedi Knight while I only got a few months in as a Padawan before Master Billaba got shot by the clones. Ahsoka says they were made to do it because of a biochip implanted in them-I'm grateful she told me that but simultaneously horrified, because I killed slaves who didn't want to shoot me and Master Billaba died because her friends were brainwashed._

 _I used to think clones like Grey and Styles were monsters; I was wrong. Kaminoans, who created them, can't be good at all if that's what they did for a paycheck. Breeding slaves is bad enough, but they had to have cooperated with whoever killed the Jedi for the biochip. And now while Master Billaba and the vast majority of the Jedi are gone, the bastards got themselves a nice little deal; churning out buckethead after buckethead, all done through Spaarti tech._

"Like you," replied the Togruta Jedi, "I had a good teacher who died with the Old Republic. I wanted to ask about the Sith Lord you encountered on Lothal."

Kanan shivered. He was conscious of the fact he no longer had arms because of whoever that Dark Side Adept was. "We ran into an Inquisitor a lot, some Pau'an by the looks of him. But this Imp was no Dark Jedi at all; the fear, the anger, the hate. You _felt_ it; I hadn't sensed a presence like that since-."

"-the Clone Wars," she finished.

"Yeah," he replied.

Ezra cleared his throat. "Ahsoka, do you know who or what he is?"

Ahsoka looked down. "No. He wasn't anyone I knew."

 **ME: As you guys can see, the dark side offers great medical benefits, particularly for *snort* mental health.**

 **BTW, while Ahsoka looks like she does in Rebels, Raana looks like Ahsoka's TCW design (only taller/older and with a red skin tone rather than orange, plus light blue eyes that turned to yellow ones like Inky's, AKA the Inquisitor from Season 1-though unlike Inky, I have a good idea in my mind of Raana's past).**

 **Raana and Chad themselves can be seen as an evil version of Ahsoka and Anakin (i.e. While Vader himself is a corrupted Anakin, Raana and Chad's dynamic can be seen as a Dark Jedi version of Anakin and Ahsoka's relationship)** **. However, while Chad physically resembles the Clone Wars depiction of Anakin (aside from stuff like having black hair and green eyes, the latter of which turned to yellow) and sounds like Matt Lanter, I imagine Raana sounding like Anna Popplewell. While it does invoke Evil Brit, it is justifiable; she did grow up in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, after all, and I'm sure some Jedi would end up with the accent.**

 **" _Tate_ " is Concordian for "brothers/sisters/siblings." Thank Wookieepedia for this; since Concordian is a _Mando'a_ dialect (with _tat_ replacing _vod_ for brother/sister, for instance), I figured vode might become tate. Thank God Disney is still using _Mando'a_ as the official name of the Mandalorian language.**

 **I had the Marine mention "God" because Luke said "God" in ANH's script according to IMSDB. I figured religions also exist in Star Wars, and I hate the "Outgrown Such Silly Superstitions" trope; of course, the equivalents to Judeo-Christianity and Islam, for example, would undoubtedly be different due to the existence of the Force.**


	13. Fallout

**ME: Time for a trip to the _Liberator_. But first an update on the occupation of Capital City. Also, spoilers if you haven't read _Jedi Trial_. A/N: I will now include quotes in my work, like a Karen Traviss novel.**

 _Ad'ike_ , the moment you put on a suit of Death Watch armor you earned through completing training, you are no longer ordinary _Mando'ade_. You are a true _verd_ , you are part of an elite force meant to maintain order and peace in the Mandalore sector. His Imperial Majesty has tasked us with helping federal troops enforce Imperial law everywhere, from the streets of Keldabe to the mines of Concordia. We will be living proof that his decision, as always, was a wise one.

 **(A Captain of Death Watch, an Imperial collaborators organization responsible for assisting in the governance of the Mandalore sector, addressing recruits)**

Ever since Old Jho had been arrested (word had gotten around that the Imperials had raided his cantina and the place hadn't reopened, nor had the Ithorian bartender been seen again), Zare had feared he would be imprisoned as well and end up in some nightmarish prison.

 _No; I haven't even been cuffed and I'm_ still _in a prison._

Graffiti created by artists like Sabine had been wiped out and replaced with Imperial-sanctioned propaganda posters and murals, if anything replaced them at all. Anyone caught spray painting anti-Imperial art or otherwise vandalizing to show support for the rebel cause were either beaten, sent to a "reeducation camp," flogged with a shock whip, or a combination of the above punishments.

In fact, as Zare walked around in his uniform, he noticed a young preteen girl get cornered by a female Chagrian Imperial officer, an Imperial Army trooper from the 128th Infantry Division (unlike the Stormtroopers, the 128th and similar units were mainly used for tasks like policing civilians; Lothal had gotten more members of the Stormtrooper Corps assigned to law enforcement duty than average due to the Five Year Plan and its importance) dressed in riot gear, and a Phase One Dark Trooper.

"Well, well," the officer said, "it appears we have a case of pro-rebel vandalism." She pointed to a dropped airbrush. "I _saw_ you deface this building with that before you dropped it, girl. No tribunal would find you innocent."

The poor kid who had made a fatal mistake fell to her knees. "Please have mercy! I'm not strong enough to take a whip, Miss!"

The Chagrian laughed. "Don't worry about _that_ , my dear. I find floggings to be inefficient, anyway."

She turned to the trooper and the droid. "I'll have this rebel scum sent to a reeducation camp! But first search and restrain her!"

"NO, WAIT!" The girl screamed as she was made to lay on the ground while the two soldiers searched her for weapons before cuffing the kid. "PLEASE, NOT THE REEDUCATION CAMP! I'LL NEVER SEE MY FRIENDS AGAIN!"

Zare gritted his teeth as he left the heartbreaking scene. The sense of morality held by the Leonis family made him want to grab a blaster and shoot the three Imperials to save the girl, but he couldn't. He had a duty to Lothal, to the galaxy, to support the rebellion by gathering intel. If he couldn't tell Ezra (his real name _hadn't_ been Dev Morgan) secrets, Zare wouldn't just be letting him down. He'd be letting an entire _network_ of rebels down.

 _I just hope we can make something_ better _when this is all over. It wasn't just greed that started the Clone Wars-the Galactic Senate was incredibly corrupt, which just made a lot of people ready to fight the Republic in the first place._

 _Let's hope that_ this _time, those who have risen up to fight against the galactic government_ win _._

"Attention all units, this is LRC-Zero-One," said Colonel Yogar Lyste, the new Comamndant of the city and Academy. "His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Sheev Palpatine the Great Uniter, has called for an emergency session. Further information will be posted as possible on the HoloNet News site; the Great Uniter and the Imperial Senate both thank you for your service."

 ***CUT TO: SAFE HAVEN***

The five CR90 corvettes, all that remained of Phoenix Fleet, had dropped out of hyperspace.

 _Now time to link up with Ackbar,_ Ahsoka reflected.

" _Liberator_ Actual, this is Spectre Zero," she said via comlink. "Do you copy, over?"

"Solid copy, General," he replied. "Go ahead, ma'am."

"Requesting permission to board, Captain. Spectre Team and I need to talk with you and Colonel Subu."

"Permission granted, General. It'll be an honor to have you aboard."

"Thank you, Captain," said Ahsoka. "Oh, and congratulations on your promotion; in light of you being the most experienced naval officer Phoenix Fleet has left, _you_ are in command now, _Commodore_. Spectre Zero out."

Hera smirked. "Looks like I'm gonna have to salute Ackbar now, but I get why he got the promotion. He _is_ the best the fleet has left, and all I've done is help command our team."

The Togruta Jedi Knight smiled. "Thank you for including me as part of the team, Hera. I'll guide us in, you can help Kanan."

"That's very kind of you, Ahsoka. General Skywalker must've been a lucky master."

Hera left the cockpit, and the older woman sighed. "He was."

The _Ghost_ docked with the _Liberator_ , and the nine rebels moved to the airlock.

"Zeb, Sabine, Ezra?"

"Yes, Ahsoka?"

She cleared her throat. "All three of you now have ranks. Zeb, you're a Sergeant Major. Sabine, you're a Lance Corporal. Ezra, you're a Private First Class but can be referred to as 'PFC' for short."

Zeb smiled. "Heh, I was an SNCO back in the Honor Guard. I was worried you were gonna make me an officer, Ahsoka."

The airlock opened, and they were all greeted by a squad of Marines and what had to be the lone survivor of Phoenix Squadron, judging by her flight suit.

 _I can sense fear in them-fear of the fate of_ Phoenix Home _befalling them. But also anger and hatred directed at Spectre Team since they were tricked and there are no Imperials to blame for the deaths of Commodore Sato and the crew of_ Phoenix Home _._

"General Tano," the Sergeant cracked, "watch out. You got Widowmaker Team on your six."

"Widowmaker Team?" Kanan demanded.

"Colonel Jarrus, is it?" The pilot asked before Ahsoka could intervene. _This is gonna get ugly._

"Yes, why do-."

The Ensign raised her right hand and slapped him. "Kark you, Jarrus! Kark you for not checking for tracking devices and killing my friends!"

Kanan recovered and stopped the others from retaliating, a handprint on his left cheek. "I didn't kill your friends, Ensign. I didn't know the Empire let us escape, my team was trying to help the rest of the fleet by bringing in those spare shield generators. I'm sorry that Imp killed your friends."

The pilot had taken her helmet off, and tears began to form in her eyes. "Your apology has not brought them back. I will NEVER forgive you."

Phoenix Eight turned around and left, while Kanan sighed. "This war is a necessary evil, but we'll need to help each other through it. Zeb, can you take me to the medbay? I could use some new arms, Ahsoka and Hera can brief me later."

"Right, you deserve to rest, Kanan."

The remainder of Spectre Team made their way to the bridge, where Commodore Ackbar was waiting with two Humans, a man with black hair and blue eyes and a woman with brown hair and green eyes.

"Welcome, General Tano!" The Mon Calamari officer said. "This is my former XO, Lieutenant Commander Erik H'Artman. This is his wife, Colonel Odie Subu H'Artman of the Rebel Marines."

"Ma'am," Sabine spoke up, "I thought you were Colonel Subu."

The Marine officer shrugged. "I go by my maiden name a lot of the time both to avoid confusion and because it's easier to pronounce."

"How is your command looking, Colonel?" Ahsoka asked.

Subu shook her head and frowned. "Not good, ma'am. Normally I have one company of Marines aboard every ship to defend against boarding parties and storm Imperial ships, and the remaining assets are split between all five of the corvettes to minimize the impact if one is destroyed. In light of the fact she'd be a priority target and wasn't intended for landing troops, I only had a company aboard the _Phoenix Home_ when she went down, though those boys and girls were still my troops and I'll miss him." She sighed. "Hell, SOP was for Commodore Sato and I, in addition to our staffs, to be on separate ships most of the time just so one ship going down wouldn't cripple the command structure of our cell; I'm gonna have to transfer myself and my staff off of the _Liberator_ because of Commodore Ackbar's promotion."

"How many sold-I mean, Marines," Ezra asked, "do you have left, Colonel Subu?"

Subu: "In light of how these corvettes have space for hundreds of my men and women and the people we've been able to recruit, I have a regiment worth of Marines eager to fight bucketheads. Problem is my unit doesn't have access to anything like larties and we lost any possibility of CAS with Phoenix Squadron, so any planetary assault will have to use the blockade runners as landing craft. Hell, if it weren't for the added security I'd recommend most of the regiment be transferred to another cell just to avoid further straining logistics for the fleet."

Ahsoka shook her head. "Never think you and your Marines are useless, Colonel."

Subu actually laughed and smiled. "You don't need to tell me twice, ma'am. Trust me, General, I will _never_ believe my troops to be worthless. We're forcedamn Marines."

 ***CUT TO: MEDBAY OF THE _LIBERATOR_ ***

The 2-1B medical droid, who had identified himself as TB-2, finished his assessment. "It appears you are fine, Colonel Jarrus. Would you like to begin the surgery now, sir?"

"Please, TB," Kanan answered. "But you can call me Kanan-out of curiousity, how long have you been on the job?"

"Ever since the Clone Wars," TB replied. "In fact, I served with General Tano when she was a Commander and the Padawan of General Skywalker."

Kanan whistled. "Sounds like you had a lot of adventures."

"Negative, as a medical droid I was frequently assigned to treating injured clones and other soldiers rather than assisting the two Jedi on the battlefield. Regardless, I am ready to sedate you for the surgery now."

"Please, TB," he said. "I could use a nap anyway."

"Very well, Kanan," said TB. "Have a pleasant sleep."

Hypodermic needles had long been rendered obsolete by the use of jet injectors, which injected substances like vaccines directly through the skin.

For the first time since the mission, Kanan felt safe and content enough to simply close his eyes and rest.

 _"Hello, Padawan Dume."_

 _Kanan awoke at the sound of a voice he, unfortunately, recognized._

 _"How do you find this...experience?"_

 _The Jedi Knight and rebel Colonel widened his eyes. "This isn't real, this is just some figment of my imagination. You're dead, Inquisitor; I watched you_ commit suicide _."_

 _The Pau'an laughed. "You did_ watch _me die physically. But don't feel sorry about not preventing the suicide; I know you feel guilty, but there is really nothing you could have done."_

 _"I...I..." Kanan said._

 _The former High Inquisitor of the Outer Rim chuckled. "Face it, Padawan Dume, you could not prevent me from dying of my own free will. You cannot become a Jedi Knight, you cannot train the boy, and you cannot defeat my master and his associates. Your rebellion will be destroyed and the Empire will keep going as if you never stood up," he finished._

 _"That's a lie!" Kanan snapped in response. "The Empire is just a horrible machine of tyranny, it can be broken!"_

 _The Pau'an grinned. "Perhaps, then, you'd like to see the destroyed gears of the despotic engine you intend to annihilate?"_

 _"Wait, what?"_

 _The Inquisitor snapped his fingers, and Kanan saw a couple of Stormtroopers who refused to surrender after being disarmed were knocked off the platform on Stygeon Prime by him. The two screamed in utter terror as they plummeted to their deaths._

 _"They were adults," Kanan whispered in shock. "Those men voluntarily enlisted."_

 _"But did their families sign on for the emotional misery you inflicted upon them?" The Pau'an stated._

 _The scene changed to a girl curled up into a ball and crying. "Why won't Daddy come home?! Why?!"_

 _A woman who had to be a mother glanced at a knife but didn't pick it up. Kanan knew from her thoughts that the only reason she didn't commit suicide over her husband dying was because her daughter would suffer even more._

 _"I didn't intend for this to happen," Kanan muttered, horrified at what one decision had caused._

 _"But it did," the Pau'an replied, this time with a note of anger and contempt in his voice. "You just didn't care about anything but your foolish cause. People say the Sith and their followers are selfish, but did you ever care about the negative impact of your actions? You started a war, and this is what happens in wars."_

 _Now it was to another Stormtrooper, stationed on the cold world of Mirial._

 _"Hey, man," one, a native Mirialan, told his Human friend, "I'm sorry about your brother."_

 _"It's alright," the trooper said, removing his Snowtrooper helmet. "Send the rebel assholes to hell for me, will ya?"_

 _He then slammed the barrel of his rifle into his head and pulled the trigger, putting a neat, cauterized hole right between the eyes._

 _"Do you still cling to your illusions of moral superiority, Caleb Dume?" The Inquisitor asked. "You fight for a government-the excessively corrupt and bureaucratic Old Republic, to be precise-that doesn't even exist any more. Tell me-what justifies your actions?"_

 **ME: A/N: I figured that Kanan being haunted by Inky would be a good way of keeping him around without resorting to some stupid method of somehow surviving falling into a burning reactor/hyperdrive.**

 **The 128th Infantry Division is a reference to the 182nd Legion and the Imperial Army troopers of _Legends_. Judging by *spoilers* Lords of the Sith, there are infantry soldiers outside of the Stormtrooper Corps in the Army. My headcanon is that they are the equivalent of the National Guard in that they're more** **responsible for enforcing law and order amongst local populations, with the Stormtroopers being the equivalent of regular infantry. They dress in armor and uniforms comparable to Veers-style gear, only with a flip up riot visor added that can be polarized for increased intimidation.**

 **I figured there'd be at least some resentment amongst Phoenix Fleet towards Spectre Team due to their inadvertent Nice Job Breaking It, Hero moment.**

 **Lieutenant Commander Erik H'Artman and Colonel Odie Subu H'Artman are established characters from _Legends_ who were main characters in _Jedi Trial_ but did not make another appearance, unfortunately. Considering how badass both of them were, it was a shame.**


	14. Public Relations

**ME: Time for an appearance from everyone's favorite entrepreneur.**

Elite soldiers of the Imperial Shadow Guard, you have a new target. Lord Vader has reported that a Jedi Knight known as Ahsoka Tano lives and is in league with a terrorist insurrection. She is to be captured and taken to Byss, if possible. If not, Tano is to be eliminated. My subjects need and have earned true justice, freedom, peace, and security; therefore, all insurgents must be neutralized.

 **(His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Sheev Palpatine, addressing members of the Emperor's Shadow Guard)**

Lando wondered what had happened to the crew of the Ghost.

 _I know they managed to jump to hyperspace and escape the local blockade, but what the hell happened afterwards? Even_ if _they're still alive, Jarrus needs two new arms. Not to mention the fact they're on the Empire's shit list._

Unlike Hera, who for all her beauty and cunning (two desirable traits in a woman, and Lando was a connoisseur of the fairer sex) was an idealist, Lando was a businessman. Sure, the Empire undoubtedly was addicted to jackboot overuse, but what would fighting them earn him? Not a decent reward for all his hard work, but most likely death or worse.

Suddenly the ground started to shake.

"Sir, what's happening?" Willie asked. "An earthquake?"

Lando grabbed a pair of electrobinoculars and nearly dropped them when he found the source of the problem.

"No," the entrepreneur said. "It's much worse."

It was an All Terrain Armored Transport, better known as an AT-AT. The behemoth had two blaster cannons on the sides of its head and two laser cannons mounted on the chin. Tall for both psychological and pragmatic reasons, the thing was heavily armored and could carry a platoon of troops. Sure it was slow compared to a repulsorcraft, wheeled, or even treaded vehicles, but Lando had no illusions about being able to outrun particle beams or even the walker itself.

 _Normally I'm one to_ appreciate _legs, but this girl can and_ will _stomp on me if need be._

He then heard drive signatures; the source of which was a _Sentinel_ -class landing craft and two MAAT/i gunships. Against one Human, a droid, and a puffer pig, it was overkill but Lando figured they were expecting trouble; after all, why else would they have an AT-AT?

The _Sentinel_ landed right in front of the farm and lowered its ramp.

"Oh _fierfek_ ," he cursed.

 _Just my day-an_ Imperial Inquisitor _?_

Lando hated doing this, but he figured stroking this Miraluka's ego might not get him a ticket to firing squad land or worse. After all, any Imperial liked to be reminded of how supposedly important they were, right?

"Greetings, Your Lordship," Lando told the Inquisitor as he knelt. "What can a mere humble businessmen whose enterprise has been built entirely by the Empire do for such an exalted servant of the Great Uniter?"

"Rise, Loth-rat," the Miraluka sneered. "I am Lord Jerec, what treachery have you been involved in?"

The entrepreneur did as asked. "I beg your pardon, Your Lordship. I strive to follow every Imperial law regardless of the personal consequences, surely a clerk has sent you the wrong address."

Lando's throat started to constrict, and he grabbed at his neck.

"Stop lying, you twit!" Jerec snapped. "We traced three shield generators to this farm. That means you are guilty of possession of stolen Imperial property."

The puffer pig, poor thing, was scared. Willie wasn't doing much better, and Lando couldn't blame either of them.

After all, he was feeling like he would need a new pair of pants.

"Stun the animal and put a restraining bolt on that droid," Jerec ordered the Stormtroopers. "And someone get the shield generators."

When that was done, he turned back to Lando. "What is the purpose of that animal, citizen?"

He was screwed either way, and if the Inquisitors really were Dark Jedi Lando had no choice but to play damage control. "She has a nose for precious minerals, sir. One puffer pig is the equivalent of a dozen mining scanners."

Jerec snorted. "An illegal mining operation? Pathetic. Tarkin, have Veers level this farm."

"Yes, Inquisitor." It wasn't the tyrannical Governor of the Outer Rim, Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin- _this_ Tarkin was female, attractive, and a bit younger. Wearing a blast vest and helmet, Lando figured she had copper hair judging by her eyebrows.

 _Don't forget that this woman is a_ Tarkin _, old boy. Sure, she's easier on the eyes than the nice Governor, but if those green orbs are any indication, she's just as eager to kill you._

The Brigadier General tapped at a helmet-mounted comlink. "Stand by, Colonel. We're withdrawing from the area, be ready for some target practice."

"Finally, General," Colonel Veers replied. "My crews have been dying for some target practice, ma'am."

 _Alright, I'm under Imperial arrest. That means I'm gonna have to sneak out of prison somehow and leave Lothal permanently._

 _At least this is an Outer Rim backwater, not Coruscant. I'd actually face_ competent _Imps in Galactic City-how else did Hera and her team survive for so long?_

 ***CUT TO: MEDBAY OF THE _LIBERATOR_ ***

 _Kanan was no longer with the Pau'an Inquisitor. Instead he was walking through a corridor._

 _"Colonel Jarrus!"_

 _He gasped and turned around. The source of the voice was Phoenix One, who was pinned underneath a crashed A-wing._

 _"Commander?" Kanan asked as he ran towards the wreck._

 _"Please help me, sir," the pilot pleaded. "I think my legs are broken."_

 _"Don't worry, Commander," the Colonel assured him. "I'm gonna get you out of here, you'll be fine."_

 _Kanan lifted the wreck off Phoenix One and reached down to grab him._

 _"AGH!" The pilot screamed as he suddenly began to disintegrate._

 _"NO, NO!" Kanan screamed as he stared at the pile of ashes._

 _"You are no Jedi Knight, boy," a new voice told him. He looked up and saw that Sith Lord. Was this a personal demon of his? "Your cell was only allowed to live to lead me to your allies. They were not so lucky."_

 _Kanan was now in a room aboard_ Phoenix Home _. Alarms blared as sailors and Marines looked at one another in fear._

 _"What's attacking us?" A Marine asked a sailor. "Some ImpStar?"_

 _"Stow it, Marine," said his Captain. "We're devil akk dogs, we can handle useless bucketheads like Stormies and ImpSwabs."_

 _"All hands, abandon ship!" Ordered the Captain of Phoenix Home. "Repeat, everyone to escape pods! Now!"_

 _"You heard the lady, boys and girls!" Said the Marine officer as they began running. "Hope ya like cozy pods-."_

 _The hyperdrive's magnetic containment field failed, and the device detonated. The crew of the frigate could only scream in sheer terror as they were annihilated._

 _"NOOOO!" Kanan lamented._

 _"Their deaths are your fault! In your hubris, Jedi," the Sith illusion sneered, "you did not make sure you were not followed! You are no savior; your talents lie elsewhere! You have done nothing but bring misery to those who rescued you!"_

 _"Kanan! Kanan!"_

The Jedi Knight opened his eyes and saw Hera.

"Kanan, are you okay?"

"Yeah, thanks," he replied as he flexed an arm. "Thanks, TB. This new arm actually feels pretty natural."

"You are welcome," the droid responded. "I apologize for the lack of synthflesh, medical supplies are limited to the essentials. Though I'd practice with a sausage first; otherwise, you might rip your deece off."

Kanan laughed. "Thanks for the advice. Hey, all I need to do is get a ring and then I won't need to worry about that."

 ***CUT TO: IMPERIAL PALACE, FEDERAL DISTRICT, IMPERIAL CITY, IMPERIAL CENTER***

The Coruscant Security Force may have been overseen by the local government, but it was key to helping Imperial forces fight insurgents and thus frequently interacted with the federal apparatus of the state.

Palpatine smiled as Commissioner Tan Divo walked in. Loyal and dedicated to law and order, Divo may have lacked creativity but was great as an administrator-ironically, like most cops he despised paperwork.

 _Some men, like me,_ the Emperor reflected, _are destined to create great things like my New Order. Others, like Commissioner Divo, are destined for managing said creations. But both Divo and I are meant for controlling the rabble. After all, why trust the masses when they are too stupid to make decisions?_

 _The Jedi were fools to put their trust in democracy. How is two Trandoshans and a Wookie voting on who to enslave better than my perfect Empire?_

"Your Majesty," Divo said as he bowed.

"Speak, Commissioner," Plapatine responded.

"The SWAT teams under my command have reported an increase in the success rate of counter-terrorist operations. The Underworld could be tamed, my Emperor."

Palpatine smiled sadly-was Divo that naïve? "Unfortunately, Commissioner, I doubt that will become true any time soon. The Underworld is just that-a pit of despair and suffering. Even brave Imperials like you may as well try and stop an avalanche with your hands."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

After the meeting was concluded, Grand Vizier Mas Amedda contacted him.

"My Emperor," he began, "your shuttle is ready."

"Of course," the Dark Lord of the Sith smiled. "Very good, Grand Vizier. Time to inform the public of some very interesting news."

 ***CUT TO: IMPERIAL COMPLEX, CAPITAL CITY, LOTHAL***

Lieutenant General Cody stood in his black uniform. Having OPCON over both Blizzard Force and Vader's Fist was definitely a privilege, but it still felt odd to rarely wear armor anymore.

 _Orders and regulations are still orders and regulations, Cody. Rex, Wolffe, and Gregor may not have understood that, but you damn well do. You have a duty to the Empire,_ not _to its corrupt and stagnant predecessor. All hail the Great Uniter._

In addition to the 150th and 501st, there was also the crew of the _Carrack_ -class light cruiser _Integrity_ 105th CompForce Division in their black and white uniforms. However, Cody felt nothing but contempt for the military wing of COMPNOR, nicknamed "CompFarce" by both terrorists and his fellow Imperials. They were loyal, sure, but CompForce soldiers were more fanatics useful only as cannon fodder than anything else.

 _This is what we get for using new guys. Sure the new templates are chosen carefully and the 501st recruits are fantastic men and women. But CompFarce?_

 _I don't care whether one of them is a man or a woman, a Human or an alien, a clone or a recruit. These morons are_ universally _worthless; at least Sep clankers could blame their incompetence on bad programming._

Tarkin came onto the stage, stood behind the podium, and cleared his throat. "Greetings, troops. I am proud to announce that you have surgically removed the cancer of rebel terrorism from Lothal. In fact, His Imperial Majesty wishes to congratulate you personally."

The holo screen activated, displaying the wisest leader the galaxy had ever known; His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Sheev Palpatine.

"Greetings, soldiers and sailors of the Imperial Military and the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order," the Emperor began. "On behalf of the Imperial Senate and the rest of the Federal Government of the Galactic Empire, thank you for your service. Lothal deserves just as much justice, peace, security, and freedom as the rest of the Empire, and you have given the local citizens exactly that."

His Imperial Majesty smiled. "Governor Tarkin, would you care to demonstrate why the Empire will win?"

"Of course, my Emperor," Tarkin replied. "Lieutenant?"

A Phase Two Dark Trooper with a rifle walked into view and saluted. "HK-Zero-Four-Seven reporting as ordered, sir."

The Grand Moff smiled and returned the salute. "Would you mind solving this puzzle cube?"

"Not at all, Governor." Soon HK-047 had solved the cube. "Done, sir."

"Your Majesty, citizens of the glorious New Order," said Tarkin, "think of the Empire as Lieutenant Four-Seven. She is a soldier, of course, but also is capable of solving problems solely with her intelligence and innovation. Think of the terrorist insurgents, however, as the bo-rifle that was recovered from a former Lasan Honor Guardsman. They are deadly and only capable of destruction; they may claim otherwise in their propaganda, but all they do is set off bombs and shoot soldiers defending civilians. So, Four-Seven, please demonstrate what will have to happen to restore peace."

"Sir, yes, sir," she said before grabbing the rifle, raising a knee, and slamming it over the droid's knee.

Cody watched as the weapon broke in half. _Damn; decent analogy, actually. Good work, Governor._

Lord Vader took the stage. "Citizens and troops, as you can see this insurrection can and will be destroyed. Already an entire fleet of the rebel forces is on the run, their flagship annihilated; they will be crushed!" At the end of his speech, the Emperor's Executor slammed a fist into the podium.

Cody and the others all saluted. "All hail the Great Uniter! All hail the Great Uniter!"

 ***CUT TO: REC ROOM OF THE _LIBERATOR_ ***

Zeb snarled and threw a paper cup at the screen. " _Karabast_ , Tarkin destroyed my rifle!"

Phoenix Eight stood up. "Oh, get over yourself, Orrelios. I lost my entire squadron and the Fleet lost pretty much everyone aboard Phoenix Home. Your so-called loss is stanging _nothing_ in comparison."

Zeb got up, looking ready to punch her. The pilot might've been a bit shorter than him, but she was also stocky and was equally pissed off.

"Enough!" Kanan intervened. _Kriff-if they see an officer and SNCO fighting, it'll be bad for morale._ "Stand down, both of you, or you're both getting a stay in the brig. Our war is with the Imps, not each other."

Suddenly the screen beeped. Kanan turned to see an image of an older man replace the broadcast.

"This is Senator-in-exile Garm Bel Iblis."

 **ME: A/N: As everyone can see, Palpy has an ego. And is condescending.**

 **Hey, even _Family Guy_ can make an original joke. Sometimes.**

 **The line from Lando about his business being built entirely by the Empire is a Take That towards a certain someone-considering how Gunray was a Take That, I'm allowed this liberty.**

 **I was wondering-what would happen if you injected an anti-aging serum into a Spaarti clone? Unlike the GAR guys, they don't have accelerated aging once they're out of the tanks, but they still burned up like twenty years biologically in one chronological year.**

 **Theory: Vader and Tarkin are commissars-namely, they're willing to kill an insane number of people in the name of the Emprah.**

 **"ImpSwabs" is slang for Imperial Navy troopers, just as "ImpStar" is slang for Imperial Star Destroyers.**


	15. Consequences

**ME: Now time for a Jedi Master who isn't uptight as hell-in other words, someone who Qui-Gon would probably have a drink with.**

These rebel scum are the new Separatists; a group of terrorist insurgents who greedily wish to hoard their riches instead of allowing us to redistribute them fairly. This war is being fought by Imperials for equality.

 **(Commander Astraal Soot, Captain of the _Carrack_ -class light cruiser _Integrity_ )**

Master Djinn Altis of the Altisian Jedi blinked at the holoscreen, convinced his mind was playing tricks on him.

 _Impossible. "Senator-in-exile Gall Trayvis" turned out to be an ISB plant leaking false intel-why else would they let him back in the Imperial Senate after everything he said in his HoloNet broadcasts?_

 _Corellian or not, only the Force will tell if Senator Bel Iblis is_ sincere _._

"Unlike that traitor Gall Trayvis from the Lothal sector," Bel Iblis continued, "I bring you all news the Empire _really_ doesn't wear you to hear."

The broadcast replaced the Senator-in-exile's profile with images that undoubtedly would be classified as "seditious." "From the seizure of private property without just compensation to soulless battle droids patrolling the streets, Palpatine has shown his true colors to the people of Lothal. How long, citizens, before Corellian collaborator Moff Thrackan Sal-Solo has his Sector Police turn Coronet into the galaxy's largest prison?

"Rise up against the tyrant and his lackeys, citizens! If those who love the freedoms we used to enjoy before the Empire choose to fight-."

Bel Iblis was cut off. "Attention all citizens," said the automated HoloNet News announcer, "we are experiencing technical difficulties. Please stand by."

Altis shut off the screen. _I wonder what Clan Skirata is up to. Well, there is only one way to find out..._

The old Jedi Master got up and wondered if the rest of his sect would agree to a journey to Mandalore.

 ***CUT TO: AHSOKA'S QUARTERS ABOARD THE _GHOST_ ***

The Jedi Knight had locked the door and checked for listening devices. Ahsoka then put her cloak on and activated the encrypted holoprojector she used exclusively for communicating with Command.

"Fulcrum to Peacemaker, come in," she said.

"This is Peacemaker," Senator Bail Organa replied. "Go ahead, Fulcrum."

Ahsoka sighed. "Bad news, Peacemaker. Phoenix Fleet was attacked by the Empire. Apart from one pilot who ejected, Phoenix Squadron was entirely wiped out. We lost _Phoenix_ _Home_ along with Commodore Sato and the vast majority of the crew. Additionally, all of the CIWS systems were destroyed and morale is down; in fact, Spectre Team is getting blamed by a large amount of the sailors and Marines because they were tracked to the fleet by the Imps after being tricked."

"Damn," replied Organa. "I'm sorry, Fulcrum. Who is in command of Phoenix Fleet now?"

"Commodore Gial Ackbar," she answered. "He was Captain of the _Liberator_ , and since Ackbar was the most experienced naval officer left I thought it would be appropriate."

"Agreed, Fulcrum," said Organa. "Anything else?"

The Jedi Knight grimaced. "I believe we have attracted the attention of Lord Darth Vader; I looked at a recording from Spectre Three, the Sith Lord that attacked them matches his visual description."

"A Sith Lord?" He gasped.

"Affirmative, Peacemaker. I sensed him myself."

"Understood," the Senator responded. "Do what you can for now, Fulcrum. Peacemaker out."

Ahsoka let herself have a small smile. Now she had a wedding between a Human and a Twi'lek to officiate.

 ***CUT TO: IMPERIAL COMPLEX, CAPITAL CITY, LOTHAL***

"Is it true, Master?" Mara asked.

Offee raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Apprentice?"

The younger Inquisitor cleared her throat. "Did Lord Vader really choke Admiral Tion to death?"

"He did," she replied. "Tion attempted to blame a Lieutenant for his own error; as a result, he was executed promptly."

Mara shivered. Sure, the Human girl had been raised by Offee to serve the Empire, but she was barely a teenager and thus had occasional qualms.

"Is there something wrong, my student?" The Mirialan Dark Jedi asked. _Don't be a fool, Mara. Hard things have to be done for civilization and peace to be maintained._

"It's just that," Mara responded, "I feel that it...may have been..."

"- _inappropriate_ , Commander Jade?"

Lord Vader had arrived with Tarkin in tow. Per custom, both Offee and Mara bowed.

"My lord, I understand that while Admiral Tion undoubtedly committed a grave offense in blaming a subordinate for his own failings, I have some misgivings about the execution."

He shook his head. "Do not be naïve, my dear. By killing Tion, I have made an example of him. Would you have the loyal, hardworking sailors of the Imperial Navy suffer for his cowardice?"

"Of course not, Lord Vader!" Mara answered.

"Good." Vader extended his hand. "May I see your lightsaber, Commander? The ringed double-bladed one, that is."

"Of course, my lord." Offee watched as her Apprentice handed Vader the weapon.

The Emperor's Executor examined it. "A decent design, Commander Jade. However, the strength of this weapon is also its weakness."

"I beg your pardon, my lord?" Mara asked.

Vader, surprisingly, knelt and looked her in the eye as best as he could. "The ring mechanism allows you to reorient the blades without adjusting your hands, hit with additional force, make the weapon deadlier when thrown by spinning the blades, and create a shield when it's spinning the blades. There is also slight protection for the hand like with the hilt of a broadsword and the fact the design allows for intimidation of opponents. However, as shown by the defeat of Jerec's predecessor, it can also enable a Jedi to destroy the weapon entirely if done while the blades are spinning. By comparison, if you cut a standard-issue double bladed lightsaber in half, you still have two functioning sabers to work with."

Offee's Apprentice blushed. "Thank you, Lord Vader. In fact, Master Offee insisted on me carrying another weapon for situations where the ring saber is inappropriate." Mara promptly produced the second lightsaber she carried.

The Sith Lord held it in the air with the Force. "I designed this model personally, Commander. It is good that you make use of this weapon."

"You have my thanks, my lord," Mara said. "I actually like using it somewhat more than the ring model, less weight."

"Lord Vader, Governor Tarkin, Lady Offee, Commander Jade."

General Appo, along with a squad of 501st Stormtroopers, appeared with two Stormtroopers and a TIE pilot, all three in binders.

"What is it, General?" Offee asked.

"My lady," he replied, "we have found Operating Numbers LS-Six-Zero-Seven, TK-Six-Two-Six, and MB-Two-Two-Three. They have proven to be repeatedly incompetent, ma'am, and Lord Vader has requested that they be punished. What are our orders?"

Tarkin snorted. "They have lost the rebels numerous times, General. Put each of them in a Cone of Shame."

After that was done, the other Imperials moved out. Offee turned back and smirked at the amusing sight.

"I do not like the Cone of Shame," Rudor murmured. To see such an arrogant noble humiliated put the Mirialan woman in a good mood for the rest of the day.

* **CUT TO: REC ROOM OF THE _LIBERATOR_ ***

"General Tano, ma'am," Phoenix Eight greeted the Togruta Jedi Knight. She was surprised at her appearance in the rec room, but that was no excuse for lack of courtesy, even if the pilot neglected to salute due to her helmet being off.

"Are you Ensign Diana Merrik?" Tano asked.

Eight stiffened. "Yes, ma'am. Phoenix Eight reporting for duty."

"Come with me, Ensign. I'm reassigning you to Spectre Team, effective immediately."

 _Oh,_ fuck _it._ "What, General?" She roared. "Why them?"

The older woman sighed. "Diana, all of the A-wings assigned to Phoenix Squadron were destroyed. The _Phantom_ , a subluminal ship docked to the _Ghost_ , is the only fighter we have right now. I'm not gonna waste your talents."

Diana-it wasn't as if Phoenix Squadron existed anymore-put her hands on her hips. "With all due respect, ma'am- _how exactly am I supposed to work with the people that killed all of my friends?_ "

"Come with me _now_ , Ensign," Tano replied coolly. "They made a mistake and won't repeat it."

" _After_ they killed the rest of my squadron and everyone I knew aboard-."

"- _now_ , Ensign." The General had actually raised her voice. "That's an order, now either follow me or spend a day in the brig for disobeying a superior officer. Your choice."

Having no other option, Diana grabbed her helmet and followed the Togruta Jedi to the _Ghost_.

Jarrus had the nerve to _smile_ at the sole survivor of Phoenix Squadron, even if it seemed forced. "Everyone, meet the newest member of Spectre Team, Ensign Diana Merrik. Welcome aboard, Spectre Niner."

"Thank you, Colonel." Diana made sure her tone remained polite-she wanted to make it clear she wouldn't be buddy-buddy without getting punished for it.

He extended his hand, which she reluctantly shook. "Diana, I'm Kanan, Spectre One. You've already met Ahsoka, Spectre Zero. This is my wife and the pilot of the _Ghost_ , Captain Hera Syndulla, Spectre Two. Chopper, our astromech, Spectre Three. Sergeant Major Garazeb Orrelios-though we normally call him 'Zeb'-and Lance Corporal Sabine Wren, Spectres Four and Five. PFC Ezra Bridger, my Padawan, Spectre Six. Corporal Buy'ce Ward and Lance Corporal Beviin Apma, Spectres Seven and Eight."

"So you want me flying your fighter, Colonel Jarrus?" Diana asked.

"Yup," he responded. "We just need to get you adjusted to flying the _Phantom_ , Diana."

"Call me Phantom," she told him. "Because all of Phoenix Squadron died; I'm just another ghost you created."

 **ME: As you can see, Diana is a total peach after losing her entire squadron. Additional facts-she's from Concordia and is a blue-eyed blonde.**

 **I figured Mara wouldn't be as ruthless and cold as either Vader or Barriss since she's still a teenager, even if she was raised by Barriss as an Inquisitor. The conventional lightsaber she has is based off the Imperial Knight lightsaber I've heard about (of course, the blade is red instead of white, for starters). I have Imperial Dark Jedi equipment as standardized to emphasize loyalty to Palpatine/the Empire (considering the ring sabers appear to be standard-issue...)** **. The lightsaber model itself is kind of a Mythology Gag-it's based off the Imp Knight model (just as how Inky's saber was based off TFU concept art) and it was designed by Vader (considering Mara ended up getting Anakin's second lightsaber in Legends).**

 **Master Altis distrusting Bel Iblis is a case of Reality Ensues; even though odds are the Empire wouldn't try another "Senator-in-exile" trick or something similar after Trayvis's cover got blown, rebels would naturally be wary of supposedly anti-Imperial officials. I referenced the eminent domain shown in Season One. The Corellian Sector Police Force is yet another example of Imperial collaborators a la Vichy France, though like Death Watch they're technically** **more along the lines of a loyalist militia then an allied group of foreign troops (i.e. The Vichy French military).**

 **Yes, Hera and Kanan are now married. I will NOT include any of their lovemaking in the story, because that would drive up the rating (and thus limit the audience), force lust on those who don't want it, and generally waste time that could actually be used for the plot. Assuming I write any smut (which I've never done in my life before; none of my stories went beyond "T"), it'll be published separately from this story. Also, assume the wedding itself was simple-not like they have fancy clothes lying around.**

 **And yeah, I included an _Up_ reference. Sue me.**


	16. Darkness amongst Foes

**ME: Now for some Area 51-type drama.**

Fight for your loved ones. Fight for the soldier next to you. Fight for freedom.

 **(Jedi Master Rahm Kota, Senior General of the Kota Militia, addressing his troops)**

This was arguably one of the most important things Raana had done in her life. Why?

The Chief Inquisitor was overseeing the transfer of Padawan Dume's severed left arm to the Imperial Shadow Guard. His Imperial Majesty was interested in the scientific applications of the body part.

 _Probably wants to clone that weakling to supplement his Dark Jedi army,_ the Togruta thought. The Emperor's Shadow Guardsmen and the Imperial Inquisitors were not fond of each other, which made her glad that the Great Uniter was choosing a poor quality template. The last thing Raana needed in her life were competent adversaries from within the Empire's _own ranks_.

 _At least Palpatine didn't pick Jerec, that useless tool. All he does is make all our lives more difficult._

"Inquisitor Tano," General II-Raz said, "we will be exiting hyperspace in t-minus five minutes. Then you will be able to deliver the package-be grateful that the Emperor has entrusted you with such a task."

She smiled a predator's smile. "Hopefully your successor will be a better officer, II-Raz. Not that that would be hard to achieve or worthy of award."

"What-."

Before the COMPNOR idiot-Raana didn't view herself as COMPNOR, even though the Inquisition was technically under Director Armand Isard's control-could finish, Raana got as close as she needed to, formed a fist, and produced a fire via pyrokinesis, consuming any oxygen II-Raz could've used to save his miserable life.

The Chief Inquisitor used a Force grip to keep the bigot on his feet as he died. When the deed was done, Raana simply let the General's corpse fall to the deck.

A female Lieutenant-II-Raz's junior aide, if Raana remembered correctly-in a black-and-white uniform strode into view. "Baroness-."

She stopped talking the moment the Lieutenant noticed the dead body.

"II-Raz proved to be incapable of functioning as a servant of the Great Uniter," Raana stated calmly. Which was true; she was sure Vader had said that Palpatine privately had nothing but contempt for those who let speciesism rule them, out of pragmatism if nothing else. "Long live His Imperial Majesty."

"Long live His Imperial Majesty," the officer repeated.

The _Gozanti_ -class cruiser exited hyperspace in the Byss system. A fortress world for the Empire, it did Force knows what in the name of the Emperor.

As Raana entered the bridge, the radar warning receivers beeped and they were hailed.

"Freighter," said a pretentious voice, "this is Control. You have entered a restricted system, cut your engines and identify yourself immediately or be destroyed."

The Captain was smart enough to order the immediate shutdown of the sublight engines, while the Chief Inquisitor chose to respond. "Byss Control," she said, "this is Baroness Raana Tano of the Imperial Inquisition. I am delivering a gift to the Great Uniter."

"Inquisitior Tano," sneered the voice, "I send One Niner Senth."

Raana: "Control, I send Two Two Krill in response to One Niner Senth. I say again, Two Two Krill in response to One Niner Senth."

She paused and rolled her eyes. _To whomever created the Force-I beg of thou, let me kill this obnoxious ass._

"Inquisitor Tano, you clearance code checks out," said the controller. "Stand by, I'll have you tractored in soon. Control out."

Raana thanked the Force and God-after all, the former definitely existed and there was a chance some higher deity had created it as a result.

Granted, Senator Binks was proof that creationists and evolutionists could both...have trouble proving their theories.

The Lieutenant and a CompForce Captain-the late II-Raz's senior aide, in fact-had prepared the cryonic preservation capsule containing the arm.

"Be ready to leave," she told them and their soldiers.

"Right away, Baroness Tano."

For all of the fanaticism associated with the umbrella organization, COMPNOR tried to portray an impartial image with its military wing. While they wore a black jacket and combat pants, the twenty CompForce troopers also wore white combat boots, gauntlets, blast vests, and blast helmets with flip-up riot visors.

 _If nothing else, these fools are cheap and easy to dispose of._ Nute Gunray _would probably cringe at the quality of CompFarce, especially since they're organic instead of droids._

The freighter docked and the airlock opened, revealing four Royal Guards and a Shadow Guard.

Raana had to admit, the female (she felt that this Dark Jedi was a woman) Shadow Guard was an intimidating figure. Her uniform (the Shadow Guard did not allow for customized outfits, though even the Inquisitors were expected to keep to Imperial color schemes) was entirely black aside from a red visor, and the robes she wore only hid the Shadow Guard's steel.

"Troopers, you are dismissed," the Guard announced. Definitely female.

The CompFarce detachment left; the only reason they had accompanied Raana in the first place was to prevent her from deserting with the arm, even though it would be inadequate protection (though the fact Chad would likely die for any treason on her part stayed the Togruta's hand).

"Inquisitor," she asked, "do you have the package?"

Raana rolled her eyes. "That's obvious, isn't it? But I'll show you, _Guard_." The Chief Inquisitor had worked her ass off for the Empire, so a little respect would be appreciated.

The Togruta depolarized the transparisteel top, and the arm was displayed to the five Guards. It was bare, the ruined sleeve having been discarded.

The Shadow Guard surprised Raana; she _knelt_ to her. "You have served His Imperial Majety well, my lady. I will inform the Great Uniter of your success personally."

 _All for an arm?_ Admittedly, it was genetic material to be used for cloning, but nevertheless the Togruta Chief Inquisitor liked getting the respect she had earned, so she didn't voice a complaint.

Now there was one one question she had on her mind right now, Raana reflected once the _Gozanti_ had detached and left the Byss system-what had happened to Dume's right arm?

 ***CUT TO: _PHANTOM_ , CURRENTLY DOCKED WITH THE _GHOST_ ***

Diana, who wouldn't even respond to "Spectre Niner," was currently painting her helmet black.

Sabine had offered to help, but the pilot had coldly rebuffed her and gotten the needed materials from the _Liberator_.

"You like the color black, _ner vod_?" The younger rebel asked. It might've been pointless, but Mandalorians looked out for each other.

Diana snarled. "You can take your flare for bright colors and shove it up your _shebs_ , _Lance Corporal_ ," she replied. "And while you may like going around into firefights with conspicuous armor that doesn't provide any real coverage-what exactly does pink stand for, anyway?-I prefer gear that works and staying true to my heritage."

Sabine sighed. "Okay, Ensign Merrik, not all _Mando'ade_ adhere to choosing colors based on tradition. Besides, at least I get increased mobility out of my armor, and it's made out of real _beskar_ , not cheap durasteel crap. With the Empire on our worlds, the only way I could get any of that stuff was via the black market, and it ain't cheap."

"Right, because you're fast enough to outrun a blaster bolt in your armor."

The younger Mandalorian threw up her hands. "Okay, I get it. You're still upset over what happened."

Diana finished painting her helmet and spat at Sabine. "Why wouldn't I? You idiots couldn't check the damn bait, and because of that everyone I knew is dead!"

"You want justice," she said. "I may not be that much of a traditionalist, but I know why you're going for that color now."

The pilot nodded. "That's what I signed on for. This helmet will also get a gold stripe when I get my hands on the right paint-I will go up against that Imp who killed the rest of Phoenix Squadron and exact my revenge."

"And will that bring them back?"

Sabine turned on her heel to find Hera had walked into the _Phantom_.

"Captain Syndulla," Diana said in a strained tone, "I kill that bastard, and no rebel pilot will ever have to fear getting shot down by him again."

Hera sighed. "Diana, revenge is not justice. And Phoenix Squadron wouldn't want you to put your life on the line pointlessly."

The Concordian woman growled. "Don't you dare use their deaths to manipulate me! I'm no Jedi, _Captain_. Now let me succeed where you failed!"

She grabbed her helmet and exited the _Phantom_.

Sabine: "Like Zeb and his feud with Kallus, her obsession with revenge isn't healthy. Hera, what should I do?"

The older woman looked her in the eye. "Know that she's going through grief and be ready to help when she'll accept your offer," said the Twi'lek officer. "Under all that anger is a rebel who's been emotionally scarred like Zeb. I remember telling Ezra to cut him some slack after the disruptor theft. Sabine, can you do the same for Diana?"

Without hesitation, the Mandalorian warrior said, "Of course. I'll do what I can, Hera."

The Captain of the _Ghost_ smiled. "You've grown into a good young woman, Sabine."

 **ME: A/N: Three guesses for what the codes Raana and the Smug Snake reference.**

 **I figured Sabine's armor was made of _beskar_ , not durasteel, because she survived getting one round each to the chest and head. While the armor doesn't provide a lot of coverage (the fact it has a helmet still makes it better than the Mockingjay costume from the Lionsgate movies), it can be explained as Sabine focusing on mobility and/or _beskar_ being expensive due to Imperial control of the supplies, which would limit coverage to more critical areas.**

 **Also, more minor but Sabine's lack of a bodysuit (instead wearing a shirt and pants under her armor) probably wouldn't help her in CBRN or EVA situations.**

 **Be advised: I posted this after 2200/10 P.M. my time zone, so apologies for any mistakes.**


	17. Enemy Civil Wars

**ME: Time for Zeb to have a POV chapter.**

I always wondered...who in their right mind would recruit Commander Jeremy Wickstrom into the Inquisition? He may be a decent officer, but so far I have found it impossible to instill any real sense of ruthlessness in him.

 **(Count Chad Vader, Lieutenant Governor of the Outer Rim, talking to Chief Inquisitor Raana Tano)**

"Hey, Zeb!"

The Lasat Sergeant Major grunted as he cleaned a Z06 he got to replace his bo-rifle. "What is it, squirt?"

Ezra walked in, his hair looking like a...jar. "Buy'ce and Beviin gave me this special haircut! Now I look like a brand new Marine!"

Zeb tried his hardest not to vomit before laughing. "Really, Ezra? A _high and tight_?"

"What?" The Padawan said. "I just think it's a good haircut, Zeb. It's clean and easy to maintain."

"May as well buzz off the scalp or just go bald entirely, kid," snarked Diana, who entered the room with her helmet on. The former Honor Guardsman noticed she had added a gold stripe to her bucket. "There may be hygienic qualities in a high and tight, but you just look like an utter boot or POG. Granted, the former would actually be accurate, since you're just some stupid kid who got all my friends killed."

Zeb stopped cleaning his weapon and stood up. "Okay, Diana," he said through gritted teeth, "when will you stop holding one mistake against us?"

"When will you stop obsessing over that Kallus asshole?" She replied. "Face it-are you really dumb enough to believe that some guy who's low-ranked enough to be assigned to Lothal and shot at on a regular basis could've ordered a planetary genocide? Oh, and stop bitching about your broken rifle. It was an inaminate object, not even a droid, yet you have the audacity to complain whenever I bring up how many people Phoenix Fleet lost in less than one hour because of you six idiots. Why should I listen to your hypocrisy? Why should I listen to your pointless whining, Orrelios?"

He clenched his fist. "That _inanimate object_ was the _last_ thing I had of my culture, Ensign Merrik!" Zeb snarled.

"A weapon versus my seven comrades, Commodore Sato, and virtually all who sailed aboard _Phoenix Home_?" Diana snorted, and Zeb was very tempted to get thrown in the brig for punching her in the face. "Shove your misery up your _shebs_ , _aruetii_. Your loss is nothing compared to mine."

"Enough, both of you."

The three rebels got up and noticed Hera had entered the room.

The Twi'lek woman frowned and put her hands on her hips. "Ezra, shave off that atrocity of a haircut. Zeb, give Spectre Niner some space. Diana, you're over-due for a psychiatric visit."

The Concordian saluted. "Captain, I don't see what the problem is."

"I do," said Hera. "You're a young woman at war and with too much anger and grief. Now get onboard the _Liberator_ and see a psychiatrist, that's an order."

"Yes, ma'am," the pilot replied before leaving.

The Lasat growled. "Hera, why do you want me giving that bitch-."

"- _don't_ , Zeb," she interrupted. "You were just as pissy with Ezra after the disruptor theft, so don't act like you have any moral high ground. He didn't do anything to provoke you-we, on the other hand, have made a terrible mistake and have not been forgiven yet."

"And until Diana finds a way to deal with her grief in a constructive manner, I doubt she will forgive us."

Sabine had shown up in full gear, but Zeb noticed that her armor had been repainted and her hair was now dyed blue.

"Orange and teal, _Sab'ika_?" Ezra questioned her before the SNCO could.

"First off, neither just a single word of _Mando'a_ nor that stupid high-and-tight will get you laid, Ezra," she said. "But yeah, I decided to change things up a bit."

"Got inspired by that Inquisitor deflecting those shots back at ya, kid?" Zeb asked.

"Plus Diana pointing out lack of traditional colors. A broken chrono is right twice a day, and hopefully she'll be fixed soon."

He raised an eyebrow. "You seriously took any of her shit seriously?"

The Mandalorian girl frowned. "Right, Sergeant Major 'I take my anger out on a new Padawan who grew up on the streets even though he did literally nothing to piss me off.'"

"Spectre Two, this is Spectre One. Do you copy, over?"

Zeb, Ezra, and Sabine stood up as Hera answered. "I copy, Spectre One," she said.

"Grab Spectres Four, Five, and Six and report to the _Liberator_ , Ahsoka wants the team for a debriefing."

"Acknowledged," Hera replied. "Spectre Two out."

 ***CUT TO: LORD DARTH VADER'S QUARTERS, HIMS _DEVASTATOR_ ***

The left arm of Caleb Dume had been delivered to Byss and transferred to the custody of the Shadow Guard, Raana reported.

Vader nodded at the Togruta. "Thank you, Baroness Tano. You may go."

"As you wish, Lord Vader," she replied, bowing and exiting the room.

Barriss sealed the door and manually locked it while Vader ran a security scan to check for cameras and bugs.

"The Emperor may be unaware of the fate of Padawan Dume's right arm, my lady," Vader said.

"Or he is, my lord," the Mirialan replied. "After all, His Imperial Majesty _will_ know that Raana delivered him that so-called Jedi Knight's left arm. Perhaps sending that arm was a mistake."

"Genetic material is genetic material, old friend," he told her. "Besides, Lord Sidious expects this kind of behavior from myself and vice versa. We already have our own agents independent of both the Shadow Guard and the Inquisition-cloning Dume is simply the next step."

"Regardless, my lord," Barriss said, "we will need private resources if you insist upon cloning Jarrus. I am no scientist, but creating a Force-sensitive warrior is not as simple as assembling a droid out of spare parts even if you read the manual."

"I know of a scientist," said Vader. "She will make our private war against the rebels easier."

Their private conversation done, Vader restored his quarters back to its usual condition. He found a message from his brother.

"What is it, Chad?"

The Dark Jedi and Count of the Empire smiled. "The TIE combat cloud car prototype has been deemed ready by Sienar. In light of Baron Rudor's...dishonor...mind if I take her for a public flight, brother?"

Vader nodded. "Do what you want with that new product from the military-industrial-complex, I simply wait for five squadrons of TIE Interceptors."

The TIE Interceptor was superior to its predecessor in just about everything, yet still was "practical for mass production" in the eyes of the Imperial bureaucracy. While equipping every TIE with a hyperdrive would be an expensive effort-on top of being somewhat unnecessary in light of carrier vessels being available to the Starfleet and the risk of enabling defectors-Vader honestly wondered if standard TIEs were not equipped with shields just to increase sales for Sienar.

 **ME: As you can see, Diana not having a productive outlet for dealing with her grief is being deconstructed in that she's consistently angry and irritates Zeb.**

 **Yes, I decided to make fun of the high and tight haircut. Apparently it's only really used among new enlisted Marines (AKA "boots"), non-infantry personnel (AKA "POGs"), and Second Lieutenants (AKA "bootenants").**

 **Vader is, as usual, completely *snort* obedient. The scientist he mentioned is a reference to the Darth Vader comics currently being published by Marvel, check them out at a store or on YouTube before reading future chapters of this story if you want to avoid spoilers. I sincerely recommend them as a fan of Star Wars.**

 **The TIE combat cloud car is a reference to the many TIE variants produced by the Empire including the Century tank (AKA the TIE crawler). Think of it as the Imperial equivalent to the T-47. It has solar panels like any good TIE, but the wings are more like an F-22's. Additionally, the TIE combat cloud car has wheeled landing gear for emergency landings and for ease of transport while on the ground (one of the reasons even VTOL craft like the Osprey have wheels, because it makes maintenance easier).**

 **Also, guys, I may be taking a break from this story to focus on writing _The Future Menace_ and wait for Season 2 to start airing. This is not out of laziness but simply to do the best job possible as a writer. I have my own ideas (i.e. A Mandalore arc), but for now I'm trying to adapt _The Lost Commanders_.**


	18. The Lost Officers

**ME: Time for a briefing. Rated for some content and crap, but no lemons.**

This war is not gonna be easy. People are gonna die on both sides, Marines. Just keep your helmets on, aim down your sights, and remember what you're fighting for.

 **(Colonel Odie Subu H'Artman, Commanding Officer of the Rebel Marine Regiment assigned to Phoenix Fleet)**

Commander Hera Syndulla Jarrus, Captain of the _Ghost_ , knocked on the door. "General, we're here."

The door opened, and Kanan stood in the way. "Glad you guys made it," her husband said. "Buy'ce, Beviin, stand guard outside."

"Sir, we need to protect General Tano," Buy'ce, ever the dutiful Corporal, protested.

"Please, Corporal," Ahsoka said softly. "OPSEC has to be maintained, even if I trust both you and Beviin. Besides, Spectre Three here will space any Stormtroopers before they can draw their blasters."

"Yes, ma'am." The two Marines left the room after she, Zeb, Sabine, and Ezra entered Ahsoka's quarters.

Kanan locked the door while Ahsoka scanned for bugs. That done, the Togruta smiled grimly and sat down.

"I'm not gonna lie to you guys," she began. "With both _Phoenix Home_ and the A-wings destroyed, our offensive capabilities have been reduced. As a result, it will be harder to both acquire supplies and strike at the Empire."

Ezra cleared his throat. "Maybe we hide for now? That's what I did back on Lothal whenever the risks outweighed the benefits."

Hera frowned. "Tempting, but that's not an option. All the potential base sites we know of don't have the tactical advantage necessary to protect what's left of the fleet, though I agree that it would be prudent to lay low for now."

Ahsoka: "Thankfully, I know of a man who may be of some assistance. A fellow veteran of the Clone Wars who fought alongside my master and I, he has a great knowledge of the Outer Rim. Only problem is that I've lost track of him and all my transmissions have gone unanswered."

Kanan smiled. "Let us find him, Ahsoka. It'll kill two birds with one stone; we get an ally and regain Phoenix Fleet's trust."

She nodded. "Alright, his last known location was in the Seelos system. I've configured a datapad to find him, good luck."

Hera took the datapad. "Thank you, Master Tano. We won't let you down."

"It's Ahsoka," she replied. "I never was made a Knight. By the way, did you follow my advice with Diana?"

"Yup," the Twi'lek woman responded sadly. "Hopefully the psychiatrist will help her."

As Spectre Team left the room, Ezra angrily confronted both Buy'ce and Beviin. "What the hell, guys?! You said I'd look like a brand new Marine with a high-and-tight!"

"Yeah!" Beviin laughed. "You look like an utter boot, only younger!"

Kanan glared at both of them. "Have fun cleaning the _Ghost_ when we get back, you two," he said sternly.

The laughter died.

Hera got into her seat, strapped in, and detached the ship. "Chop, as soon as we're underway, I want you to take over until we exit hyperspace."

"Why?" The astromech beeped.

"Because you cost us a helpful droid out of jealousy!" Hera snapped. "Besides, I need some alone time with Kanan."

The rebel Colonel smiled. "You won't regret leaving Chopper in charge for the trip, Hera."

Every man (well, at least the more arrogant straight ones) thought he was the Force's gift to women. Kanan, however, could actually back up his claims. She knew that from experience.

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF THE HIMS _DEVASTATOR_ ***

"Lord Vader," Jerec heard Tarkin say.

"Grand Moff," Vader responded politely. "I will be leaving the Lothal system today on my own."

The Miraluka strained himself to hear the conversation clearly. _Yes, Vader. Distract yourself and I can become Sidious's new apprentice._

"Very well," the Governor of the Outer Rim replied. "Today there are two executions scheduled in the planetary capital, I'll make sure to recorcd the holovid for you to enjoy."

"Thank you, Governor. I will make sure that Chad and the others keep an eye on Jerec."

The High Inquisitor briefly seethed with anger-and Vader then seized him in a Force grip.

"Kriff," Jerec muttered as Vader made him levitate above the deck.

"You are not undetectable, Inquisitor," the Sith Lord stated calmly. "Nor are you that invaluable of an asset to His Imperial Majesty's New Order. I am certain I could easily find someone more suited to take your post as High Inquisitor of the Outer Rim the moment you became more trouble than tolerable."

"Yes, Lord Vader," the Miraluka replied. It was humiliating to bow before some cybernetic abomination, but it would not be an easy task to unseat Vader.

"I have a new assignment for you," he said after releasing Jerec. Vader took out a holoprojector. "Your objective is to hunt down and eliminate Master Djinn Altis, leader of the Altisian Jedi sect. For this mission, you have been given OPCON of the _Dreadnaught_ -class heavy cruiser _Vendetta_ , captained by Commander Ardax."

"Thank you, Lord Vader." Jerec studied the image of Altis. He was an elderly Human male with white hair, but looks could be deceiving.

"Our intelligence sources believe that he is attempting to establish an alliance with insurgent terrorists operating out of Mandalore," Vader added. "Therefore, I suggest you lay a trap in that system. I have all the information you need on this datapad."

"I am most grateful, Your Lordship." The High Inquisitor smiled; all he had to do was succeed and Emperor Palpatine would reward him handsomely for his services. Jerec could very well get a promotion he had done more than enough to earn.

 ***CUT TO: REBEL FREIGHTER _GHOST_ , SEELOS SYSTEM***

"Dammit!" Hera swore. "Hyperdrive's offline!"

Ezra groaned and ran a hand over his scalp. _At least Sabine and Zeb won't mock me over a buzz cut._ "Seriously, didn't Chopper fix it?"

The Twi'lek woman groaned. "Ezra, if there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that if you want to get something done, do it yourself!"

Kanan grunted and loaded his blaster. "Alright, Hera. You stay here with Chopper to clean up his mess. Everyone else, with me. We got an ally to find."

Ezra joined him along with Zeb and Sabine in the _Phantom_. The Lasat was checking his Z06, which now looked like it was hooked up to a generator backpack. His Mandalorian crush inspected both of her sidearms but kept her helmet off for now.

"What, no commentary on my hair?"

Her brown eyes met his blue ones. "Oh come on, you got a kriffing high and tight. Even back at the Academy that wasn't standard-I know about five guys and one girl who didn't just buzz it off when push came to shove."

"Okay, we're entering the atmosphere now," Kanan cut in. "Someone turn on this datapad.

"I got it," Zeb said as he got up and turned on the device Ahsoka had given him.

"Seven-Five-Six-Seven," the datapad said. "Seven-Five-Six-Seven, Seven-Five-Six-Seven," it repeated.

"Okay, looks like it's homing in on something."

Ezra listened along with Sabine, audio being the only clue they had as to what was going on.

"Alright, let's check it out."

After a few minutes, Zeb said, "Kanan, look! Up ahead!"

Ezra got up along with Sabine, curiousity having got the better of him. "Looks like an old Republic tank from the Clone Wars," Kanan stated.

"Looks like a work of art, too," Sabine commented.

"I agree," Ezra said. "Whoever modified this walker did a good job when it came to aesthetics."

She rolled her eyes. "Am I that attractive to you?"

"Of course."

"Boys will, unfortunately," Kanan said, "be boys, Sabine. Now grab your bucket, time to see if we found this officer."

The _Phantom_ landed, and the quarter of rebels promptly stepped onto the surface of Seelos.

Three men exited the Republic tank. They looked old, but they had blasters and wore armor. Ezra would've assumed they were Stormtroopers, but they looked way too old and one of them had faded blue stripes on his armor.

"Hello there!" Said one of the men. "What are you youngsters up to?"

"We're looking for someone," Kanan said, his tone indicating he was feeling tense.

 _Why are you so edgy, Kanan? A few old dudes in scavenged gear can't be that bad._

"Well, ain't that a shame," said one with a prosthetic eye. "There's no one out here but us, so you took a wrong jump."

"These guys are just some old geezers," Zeb grunted in annoyance.

"Heavily armed old geezers," Sabine replied.

"Does Seven-Five-Six-Seven mean anything to you?" Ezra asked, hoping to get a positive answer.

The one in the white-and-blue armor frowned. "Seven-Five-Six-Seven?"

"Yes, sir," Ezra said, trying to be polite. "Seven-Five-Six-Seven."

"Kid, that's my birth number!"

"They're clones!" Kanan yelled. He ignited his lightsaber and got in front of Ezra. "Stay behind me, Ezra!"

"The Jedi have come for revenge!" Yelled Prosthetic Eye. He aimed his rifle and fired off a burst at Kanan, who deflected it.

"Drop the blaster, man!" Zeb ordered.

"Wolffe, stand down!" White and Blue yelled. "Now!"

Weapons were lowered, though Kanan still stood with his lightsaber active.

"Sorry about that, General," White and Blue apologized. "My name is Rex. I used to be the Captain for Torrent Company, Second Battalion, Third Regiment, Five Hundred and First GAR Legion."

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF THE HIMS _LAWBRINGER_ ***

"Agent Kallus, we've received a binary transmission from a clone officer on Seelos," one of the technicians said.

Kallus, now promoted to Major General thanks to Lord Vader recognizing his talents, frowned. "As in an original Jango Fett clone from the time before the Empire?""

"Yes, sir," said the younger man. "His number checks out, but the former Marshal Commander was marked as MIA after not returning from an assignment. This was before the accelerated aging cure was available to treat the veteran clones bred on Kamino. Please note, General Kallus, that the psychological state of this clone may have deteriorated due to both lack of modern medical care and his accelerated aging."

Captain Zataire chose to speak up. "Sir, with all due respect, for all we know this clone is just some delusional deserter. Worse, this could very well be a rebel trap."

"I agree," the ISB officer said. "However, all leads must be followed. Send a probe droid to investigate, I'll pass on the news to Count Vader."

 **ME: A/N: I thought a datapad would make more sense, I suppose, then a tactical droid head.**

 **I made Wolffe a Marshal Commander because that made more sense to me. After all, Plo Koon was a member of the Jedi Council.**

 **"Took a wrong jump" is slang due to SW having FTL technology.**

 **You guys can imagine things for the rest of the episode going pretty much as canon. I'm gonna skip ahead to "Relics of the Old Republic" to save on time.**

 **Also, in light of Sarah Michelle Gellar being Barriss-I mean, Seventh Sister (come on, Disney-your denial of Barriss being the Seventh Sister is only true from a certain point of view)-I wonder if Mara Jade should be voiced by Laura Bailey. I liked her VA work for InFamous (which I watched via YouTube) and a couple of Avengers Assemble episodes I watched.**

 **Final note: Fifth Brother should be called Sixth Brother given how he's voiced by Phillip Anthony-Rodriguez (yes, I played Halo Reach).**


	19. Relics of the Old Republic

**ME: Time for the Empire to fight its deserters. Granted, considering how the clones were slaves, it's not like you can blame them for leaving.**

Order cannot be imposed through negotiations and elections. It can only be established through force, by eliminating disorder by any means necessary. For all of the distaste the Jedi Order had for Sith Lords such as myself, in thirteen years I had succeeded where they had failed. I have created something that will truly maintain peace and order; the Empire was established in a fraction of the time the Jedi had, but in less then a century my New Order has accomplished ten times what they couldn't hope to achieve in an eternity.

 **(His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Sheev Palpatine, musing in private)**

"Sabine," Kanan asked, "how bad is it?"

"Probe hit the left engine pretty bad," Sabine answered. "Gonna take a while longer. Man, Diana would be pissed at Wolffe if she was around."

"Hurry it up, no telling when the Empire'll get here."

There was a pause. "Imps aren't our only problem, Kanan. There's a sandstorm coming up behind us."

He sighed. "We aren't off this rock before the Imps show up, that sandstorm will be inconsequential by comparison."

Rex came up. "Alright, got 'em! Every Republic base, Sep installation, smugglers' den, and pirate hideout in the Outer Rim that I know of, plus a few extra locations that should be off the Empire's radar."

"Thank you, really," Kanan told him. He was even more paranoid of clones after Wolffe had ratted them out to the Empire, but Rex seemed to be a decent guy.

"You guys sure you don't wanna come with us?" Ezra questioned.

"Yeah," Zeb added. "You aren't that bad in a fight for... _older_ gentlemen...and _officers_."

He and Gregor, a Republic Commando Captain, elbowed each other in a friendly manner.

"Like I said, kid," Rex replied, "our war's over. Don't care too much to get mixed up in another; we're too old to be much good in a fight anyway, even though the Spaartis, recruits, and draftees are all _osik_ anyway. Oh, and say hello to Commander Tano for me, will ya?"

"I will, Captain," Kanan said, not bothering to correct the elderly man for using Ahsoka's former rank. "Good luck, may the Force watch over you."

He then tapped at his wrist comlink; it had been installed in his right arm and proved more convenient than Kanan's old handheld one, which still was carried around. "Spectre One to _Ghost_ , be advised: We're gonna be down here for a little longer, how's it going up there? Over."

 ***CUT TO: COCKPIT OF REBEL FREIGHTER _GHOST_ ***

Hera grunted as she tapped her earpiece. "Been busy finishing repairs, Kanan. Hyperdrive's fine, but it looks like the controls in the cockpit actually need some work. Should be ready by the time you guys get off-planet, though, and I've got Chopper scanning for incoming ships."

The outdated astromech suddenly started beeping, and Hera looked up just in time to see a Star Destroyer exit hyperspace with three _Victory IIs_ and eight _Carracks_ accompanying it.

She cursed in her native Twi'leki. "Break-break, break-break," the Captain of the _Ghost_ said as she powered down the ship. "We have an ImpStar in the system, I say again, an ImpStar has exited hyperspace along with multiple escorts. Going dark and will maintain radio silence for as long as necessary, out."

Chopper was resistant, but Hera was able to shut him down. She also turned off her earpiece; it would keep Kanan from contacting her, but lack of EMCON would be a death sentence and the young Twi'lek woman would not let an active comlink give her position away.

 ***CUT TO: CLONE AT-TE***

Rex frowned. Osik _, just one of those things can carry an entire legion of troops. Thank the Force Palpy's gone cheap._ "Assuming they follow SOP, the Imps'll fly search patterns based on our last known coordinates while attempting to locate us from orbit."

Suddenly there was a beeping noise. "Or they'll just call," Gregor said, folding his arms. "Incoming Imperial transmission, Commander Wolffe! It's for you, sir!"

"Wait, what?" The former Marshal Commander protested, not reprimanding the former clone commando Captain for his sarcasm. "But they would never call back! It's not like I left on good terms!"

"Congratulations, everyone but Wolffe," Jarrus snarked. "This is why I don't trust clones."

"Just get rid of them, Wolffe," Ezra suggested.

The former CO of the 104th Corps sighed. "Yeah, this is my mistake," he said. "I'll fix it."

Wolffe accepted the transmission, and an officer with light brown hair and eyes appeared.

 _Who's this mongrel with the new black armor?_

"CC-Three-Six-Three-Six," he said. "Am I correct in assuming you are Commander Wolffe?"

"Yes, sir!" Wolffe said, faking an enthusiastic smile. "That's me, what can I do for the Emperor's glorious New Order?"

"Commander, you were marked as MIA years ago," the officer stated with a hint of annoyance. "However, right now I need you to transmit your current coordinates so I can investigate the Jedi sighting you reported."

"Sorry, sir," came the reply, Wolffe trying to look apologetic. "My older cybernetic eye must be acting up again, there are no Jedi here."

"Sorry for wasting your time, sir," Rex added.

The man frowned. "Evidently lack of Imperial medical treatment has made you all not only old, but senile enough to believe that would work. This image was taken by one of our probe droids; it clearly shows you harboring known rebel terrorists. Now surrender these traitors or be exterminated with them; you now have twenty seconds to comply."

Rex cracked his knuckles. "Then I hope you brought a better class of soldier than those... _Stormtroopers_." The former CO of Torrent Company then burst out laughing with Gregor and Wolffe. "Sorry, kid, but we just can't take your henchmen seriously. Don't they fire from the hip?"

Zeb, the Lasat muscle of the crew, decided to join in. "Ha, Kallus. You dumb asshole, you're trying to threaten actual warriors with an army of schmucks. It's actually kinda adorable."

Kallus smiled coldly. "Alright, General Appo. Looks like you'll have to prepare your troops for a fight."

Rex's blood ran cold. _Appo._ "Wait, what?"

A Stormtrooper walked into view, the austere armor emphasizing lack of individuality.

Then the helmet was pulled off, and Rex saw a face that resembled his own, albeit only half as old.

"Hello, Rexy."

The transmission was then terminated by the Imperials.

" _Kriff,_ " Rex muttered. "I thought the Empire was only using Spaartis and mongrels now."

"Turns out the remaining loyal veterans bred on Kamino got treated for their accelerated aging," Jarrus said.

The walker then shook.

"We're under attack!" The Mandalorian girl, Sabine, yelled.

"Battlestations!" Rex ordered.

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF THE _LIBERATOR_ ***

"I sense a significant presence in the Force," General Tano stated.

Commodore Gial Ackbar frowned. "Ma'am, it wouldn't happen to be related to the Inquisition, would it?"

The Togruta shook her head. "No, it feels like Jedi. Not Kanan and Ezra, but people I encountered during the Clone Wars."

"Ma'am, sir," the sensor operator said, "incoming contact coming out of hyperspace."

"Shield regeneration, stand by," Captain H'Artman, his former XO ordered. "No telling what could happen."

Sure enough, a ship exited hyperspace.

"Contact, one _Vernal_ -class freighter."

"Commodore, they're hailing us!"

"-I repeat, this is Jedi Master Djinn Altis warning everyone on this net!" Shouted an old man. "We are being pursued, I advise all ships retreat at once! They're after us, not you!"

"Another contact!" Said the sensor operator.

"Battlestations," ordered Tano. " _This_ time, we're getting an Inquisitor."

 **ME: A/N: Finished this late at night, hope y'all like it.**

 **Like _Siege of Lothal_ , looks like Relics of the Old Republic may be split up between chapters a bit.**

 **Also, I am not some fascist. Palpatine is just being an insane old man. Pay no heed to his deluded ramblings, ladies and gentlemen.**


	20. AT-TExAT-AT

**ME: If the title of this chapter sounds like a crack pairing, it was completely intentional. Also included is a Red vs. a Blue reference.**

Why oh why did His Imperial Majesty decide to cease using superior Kaminoan technology in favor of the Spaarti tanks? The clones my people currently produce are an embarrassment, almost as bad as the recruits and conscripts employed by the Empire.

 **(Prime Minister Lama Su's private journal)**

Lord Jerec of the Imperial Inquisition smiled as the _Vendetta_ came out of hyperspace.

 _I sense fear. And it feels good._

His comlink vibrated. "High Inquisitor Jerec, sir," came the voice of the Dreadnaught Captain.

Jerec frowned. "What is it, Commander?" It was improper to address the CO of a warship that way regardless of their actual rank, but Ardax would be a fool to complain and the Miraluka did not view command of anything like the Vendetta as an accomplishment in light of the lack of prestige for such a post.

"My lord, we have located the fugitive ship. However, we have detected a small group of additional vessels as well. Five Corellian Corvettes and a _Gozanti_ -class freighter, the latter of which is docked with one of the corvettes. I believe that, in light of their armament and lack of friendly transponders, we have encountered a rebel fleet. I will request reinforcements immediately, sir; I just wanted you to be informed first."

"Negative on reinforcements," Jerec ordered sharply. "The terrorists will all but surely flee, and I want the honor of neutralizing them myself. Target the insurgent warships, Silver Squadron and I will handle the Jedi."

Lifting off in his TIE Advanced X1, Jerec flew into battle along with his twelve escorts. "I want the shields down and the engines disabled," he ordered. "Whatever happens, do not let them escape."

"Would you prefer that we kill them, sir?" Asked one of the pilots.

"No, idiot!" Jerec snapped. "I want the Jedi alive, so you either aid me in attempting to capture them or face a firing squad!"

It was impossible to get good help these days. At least the original clones were obedient and somewhat competent, even if they were more independent than droids.

 ***CUT TO: AT-TE ON SEELOS***

Zeb grunted as he hefted his Z06 and fired at the TIE. It didn't look familiar to his experienced eyes, but in the Lasat SNCO's point of view anything that was shooting at him or his buddies was hostile.

"Try shortening your leads," Rex suggested. "You're wasting ammo."

"You're welcome to help!" Zeb snapped. Admittedly even the backpack generator he carried would run out of power eventually, but combat was about immediate survival.

"Ah, why spoil the fun?" Gregor asked; he seemed to be the nuttiest of the clones. "We haven't been shot at in years!"

"Well it happens to us all the damn time," Sabine snarked. "Spoiler alert: It ain't fun!"

"Shouldn't one of you man the big gun?" Ezra asked as he and Kanan moved on top of the Phantom to protect it from another pass.

"It's no good in this situation," Rex answered.

"Oh, kinda like you guys?" Kanan said.

 _Okay, now that's just low._

Gregor moved into position with a smile on his face and a SAM launcher in his hand. "Clear?"

"Backblast clear," Zeb answered once he made sure both he and Sabine were safe.

"Target locked, firing now!" The SAM left the launcher. "Missile away!"

It homed in on the TIE and destroyed it.

"You still got it, Gregor!" Rex complimented.

"It's in my blood, Rex!"

Ezra cleared his throat. "This is exactly why you guys should come with us; together, we can bring down the Empire!"

"Tried working with clones once," said Kanan. "Didn't work out so well. Sabine, get the Phantom prepped or we'll be grounded by the sandstorm. And that's if we're lucky-the Imps might decide to liberate this planet via Base Delta Zero."

"I'm on it!"

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _DEVASTATOR_ ***

Thrawn frowned after hearing the report from the Victory II skipper, annoyed that one of the new TIE droids had been destroyed. Admittedly it was easier to replace one of those then a manned fighter, but the Empire had lost an asset and gained nothing for it; they had already located the target via tracing its transmissions.

The Chiss had been promoted to Rear Admiral (Upper Half) and ordered to take control of the _Devastator_ Battle Group, much to the chagrin of his current XO, Kendel Ozzel. Originally Admiral Konstantine of the _Relentless_ Battle Group had been offered the post, but he had politely declined (undoubtedly to avoid painting a target on his back).

"Our ships are in position, General Kallus," he told the ISB Agent. "Shall I commence orbital bombardment?"

Kallus shook his head and put on his helmet. "Negative, Admiral Thrawn. I'll land walkers and intimidate the rebels if need be, keep your eyes open for the rebel freighter or anything else. Lord Vader wants these scum alive, if possible."

"And if we can't take them alive," Thrawn said, "he'll understand."

 ***CUT TO: AT-TE ON SEELOS***

"Enemy contact, bearing one-one-zero," Wolffe said via comlink, for he was still driving the walker.

Sabine zoomed in via her rangefinder. "Kriff me, we got three AT-ATs inbound. With just this work of art-nice job, guys, by the way-we're screwed."

"Time to even the odds, then," said Rex. "Wolffe, new heading: Bring us into the sandstorm, heading two-niner-zero."

"Copy that."

Kanan tapped her on the shoulder. "We good to go?"

She shook her head. "Left engine's fine, so we're good from a technical perspective. Right now, however, those giant death machines can use us for target practice. Even if they don't shoot us down, odds are those bucketheads in orbit'll have plenty of warning."

"I'd seal up this bird and head inside, sir," Rex told Kanan. "The young lady's right, you'd be karked up real fast if you tried to leave right now."

"How will going into the sandstorm be any better?" He asked.

Sabine smiled when she realized Rex's plan. "All sensors will be scrambled, but you and Ezra have the Force while Kallus doesn't. Do the math."

After this, Sabine sealed the Phantom and promptly headed inside.

"Ezra, man the turbolaser. General Jarrus, sir, we need you for navigation. It's the only way this'll work," Rex told them.

"I'll spot him," Sabine volunteered.

"Wait!" Rex handed Ezra his helmet, which looked like a Phase I model but it seemed to have Phase II breathing filters. "Use this for eyepro, kid. It won't help you see that walker, but you do not want to get sand in your eyes. It's like being shot with a glitter gun."

"What's a-." Ezra then shook his head. "You know what, I probably don't wanna know."

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _DEVASTATOR_ ***

Thrawn frowned. "Any further word from Agent Kallus?"

"Negative, sir," replied one of the technicians. "We lost all contact when he entered the sandstorm in pursuit of the rebel terrorists."

"Admiral Thrawn," the communications officer reported, "we're receiving a transmission."

The Chiss raised an eyebrow. "Can it wait, Lieutenant? I'd prefer that we either bring these insurgents in or kill them; the only way to do that is to coordinate with our comrades in the Army on that planet and not be distracted."

"Sir, it's from Governor Tarkin. He wants us to rendezvous with him in the Garel system."

He nodded. "Very well, looks like Kallus will be left with the Victories and their Carracks." In light of the tactics and ships used by modern insurrectionists, Imperial Star Destroyers were to travel with at least one _Carrack_ -class light cruiser-two being preferable, of course-whenever possible.

The Lieutenant swallowed. "Actually, sir, Tarkin wants us to take the entire Battle Group."

The Rear Admiral cursed Tarkin in his mind. What could possibly be so important? Normally Thrawn would be tempted to disobey-and he still was-but he couldn't do that. The Grand Moff of the Outer Rim was not defied easily, and if Thrawn was removed from command he couldn't do anything for his subordinates.

"Order all ships to prepare for departure," he said, trying to keep his voice as professional as possible. _I'm sorry, Kallus._

 ***CUT TO: AT-TE ON SEELOS***

Ezra closed his eyes. I need to trust in the Force. If I believe I can do it, I'll succeed.

"Wolffe, you standing by?" He asked.

"Affirmative, fire when ready?"

Ezra closed his eyes, reached out into the Force, visualized the walker, then trained the gun on the neck (Sabine had told him that was the only real weak spot) before opening fire.

"Shot out!" He said.

"Wolffe, now! Go, go!"

Sabine patted him on the back. "I knew you could do it, Ezr'ika."

He smirked. "Aw, you love me?"

She probably was brushing under her helmet, for Sabine did not respond verbally but he could feel...embarrassment.

Once they were out of the sandstorm, Rex came out with Zeb and Kanan. "Good shot, kid. Now get out of here, this is your only chance."

"Not without you, Gregor, and Wolffe!" Ezra replied.

"Ezra, we need to get this data to the Rebellion!" Kanan said, his master somewhat less eager than before to leave-not that it would save the clones. "We have our orders!"

The former Lothal street kid grabbed Kanan's right arm. "Ahsoka also wanted us to bring back Rex, her friend! We can't just abandon him!"

The old soldier sighed. "Kid, you aren't abandoning us. We're covering your escape, now go! This way, we'll save lots of lives for the price of three old men. Not a bad trade."

 ***CUT TO: AT-AT ON SEELOS***

Brigadier General Natasi Daala Tarkin, the XO of Blizzard Force, frowned and contacted Agent Kallus. "Sir, the rebel ship is escaping."

"I can see that, Daala," he said. Most of her superiors opted to use her middle name. "Take out the clones, General; no more intimidation in hopes of a surrender. I'll inform Thrawn, you show these traitors just how outdated they are."

"With pleasure, sir," Daala obeyed eagerly. She was eager to avenge the lost 105th AT-AT crew. "Take them down!"

To the credit of the rebel scum, they pushed on despite their inferior vehicle and actually rammed the AT-AT's forward legs.

Daala let loose a series of profanities. "They have lost their minds!" She exclaimed.

 ***CUT TO: _PHANTOM_ ***

"Too bad about Captain Rex," Hera told him. "Alright, blockade's gone; I'm heading down to rendezvous with you now. Let's hope the data is worth their sacrifice. Ghost out."

"Congratulations, Jarrus."

Kanan only had to look over. _Fuck, not even being conscious makes me safe from this guy?_

"Do you feel like a hero yet?" The Inquisitor asked, his voice filled with contempt. "After all, there was that one time on Lothal you faked a surrender before tossing a grenade at a speeder bike pilot. Just like the Empire broke the news to his parents, you get to inform General Tano you let her friend and two of his brothers die pointlessly."

He sighed and engaged the autopilot. "I've got my problems with clones, but these men don't deserve to die. Let's go and save their asses."

Ezra, Zeb, and Sabine smiled, clearly wanting to saving

 ***CUT TO: AT-AT ON SEELOS***

"Finish them!" Daala ordered, not wanting to deal with the traitors any longer.

Unfortunately, the rebel craft strafed them. Daala could only look through her scope in horror as three of the insurgents-two of which had to be the Jedi-land on Kallus's command vehicle.

"Sir, there're hostiles on your fucking roof! Repeat, terrorists on top!"

The COMPNOR officer didn't acknowledge her, evidently too busy with the rebels.

Unfortunately he and his crew must've surely been overwhelmed, for the damn thing began to fire on her walker.

"Ma'am, where the hell is Thrawn with our air support?" Her driver asked.

The clones fired again, this time hitting their weak spot.

"SON OF A BITCH!" Daala cursed, knowing her only option was to cut their losses and flee. "EVERYONE EVACUATE!"

 **ME: A/N: This is dedicated to the veterans of our great nation. I specifically made sure to get it done the night of Veteran's Day, even if it kept me up at night. Thank you for your service, ladies and gentlemen. May God bless your hearts for what you've sacrificed.**

 **Admittedly I've left you guys hanging, but hey, I'm an author. Cliffhangers are what we do.**


	21. Reunion

**ME: Time for a space battle.**

You are a servant of the Empire, my dear. It may be hard to accept that you will never see your old family, but the Inquisition is your new one. The sooner you accept that, the better.

 **(The former Pau'an High Inquisitor of the Outer Rim, speaking with Initiate Dhara Leonis)**

"Captain, I'm picking up a bogey of some kind," said the sensor operator.

Ardax frowned. "Your screen says it's a TIE like that Inquisitor's one," he said.

"Sir, the thing came from the rebel freighter which is now attempting to escape."

"I'll inform Lord Jerec," he said. "Helm, bring us up on that _Gozanti_ , all ahead full. Weapons, have our quad laser cannons target that freighter and disable its engines. We cannot let them escape."

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF THE REBEL _GOZANTI_ -CLASS CRUISER***

Ensign Diana Merrik had boarded the freighter, having followed General Tano and her escorting Marines.

So far, the shrink had not prescribed her any medications but _had_ managed to revoke Diana's flight status, telling her she wasn't being open about her problems.

 _My problems are_ simple _. I'm on the same team that got my entire squadron killed._

"Ops, have engineering power up the hyperdrive! Nav, plot an immediate escape route! Helm, all ahead full and stand by to jump!" The Captain of the freighter ordered.

The young Mandalorian woman had offered to help, but she was an outsider and all combat posts aboard the _Gozanti_ had been filled. So the CO of the vessel had simply told her as well as Ward and Apma to remain on the bridge and out of the way.

"Captain," one of the technicians, an Alderaanian, said, "the enemy ship has a radar lock on us."

"Intensify aft deflectors!"

Soon enough Diana could feel the kinetic energy being transferred from the Imperial particle beams.

"We're taking heavy fire!" Yelled the shield technician.

"Hyperdrive ready!" Yelled the Lieutenant at the operations station.

"Calculations are ninety-five percent-," said the navigator.

"We've lost our shields!"

Three explosions occured. "We've lost all engines, I repeat, all three engines-." The operations officer swore. "Captain, hull breach in the hyperdrive chamber!"

"Conn, engineering!"

The call was answered. "Conn, aye."

"Skipper, the automatic safety procedures kicked in but the hyperdrive's been damaged! I repeat, the hyperdrive was damaged!"

"Initiate an emergency shutdown immediately, engineering," the Captain ordered.

"We can't, sir," responded the chief engineer. "Already tried, seems like the connection was severed. I advise an immediate evacuation."

Diana frowned. "I hate to interrupt, Captain," she pointed out, "but we gotta shut down that hyperdrive. If we don't, sir, this whole ship could explode and I'm willing to bet we won't be out of range."

The Captain shook his head. "We'd need someone to initiate the shutdown in the chamber itself, and since it's been depressurized we'd need someone in a vacuum suit."

She tapped her flight suit. "Sir, this thing's fully sealed. I can do it."

"Let's swap boots, you'll need magnetic soles for the job."

Diana was grateful for the fact the two happened to be the same size, but the unfamiliar ship-grade officer boots were uncomfortable. _Oh well, at least it's only have as bad as I expected._

"All nonessential personnel, abandon ship. I repeat, all nonessential personnel to escape pods. Engineering, try and keep the hyperdrive stabilized for now. Repeat, try to stabilize the hyperdrive."

"Lieutenant, you need to get you and your crew out of here now," Diana said.

The chief engineer, a Jango Fett clone who looked to be about fifty (but chronologically was half that), shook his head. "Kid, we have to maintain this hyperdrive."

"Go, the ship is lost!" She snapped. "I'm gonna try and shutdown the hyperdrive myself, but the Captain needs to depressurize this room first. Please leave, sir."

"That's an order, _Lieutenant_ ," came the voice of the Captain over the PA.

Once the engineers were gone, Diana locked down the bulkheads (aside from the entrance to the hyperdrive chamber, for she only left a ray shield active) and sealed her helmet. "Ready to go, sir," she said via comlink.

"Copy that, Ensign. I'm shutting down life support now, stand by for depressurization."

"Standing by, Captain," she replied.

"In three...two...one," he said, " _now!_ "

In the event of an emergency, the Captain could order the opening of small hatches and the deactivation of similarly-sized ray shields, leaving grates the only thing between the compartment and space. As a result, any and all atmosphere was vented, leaving only Diana.

"Atmosphere vented, Ensign."

"Roger that," said Diana, deactivating the ray shield between her and the hyperdrive chamber. "Get to safety and good luck, Captain. Merrik out."

She shut off her comlink and moved for the emergency shutdown button. After revealing it with the flip of a switch, Diana punched it.

ALERT: EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN INITIATED, said the computer screen.

 ***CUT TO: JEREC'S TIE ADVANCED X1***

By this point, the Miraluka Inquisitor was extremely pissed off.

So far, this Jedi had evaded him and Jerec had failed to land a single shot on him-or her.

So he armed two of the nuclear torpedoes his fighter carried. If Jerec couldn't capture this Jedi, then his prey would die.

Acquiring a lock via infrared, the Near-Human smiled. "Escape this!"

Once both torpedoes were fired, they began to follow the Jedi. However, the pilot merely increased speed.

 _What are they-oh,_ kriff _._

The Jedi deliberately raced toward the _Vendetta_ , which the two nuclear weapons slammed into before detonating.

The effect was immediate. Though the Dreadnaught remained intact, the nuclear blast and resulting EMP had neutralized the _Vendetta_.

Jerec couldn't believe his luck. So far his mission had gone from partially successful-preventing Altis from allying with Mandalorian insurrectionists-to a spectacular failure in that the Altisian Jedi were now with the rebels Vader had chased off Lothal.

 _That attack dog will not be pleased._ Cursing the fact Silver Squadron had failed to destroy the _Wookiee Gunner_ and all aboard, the Miraluka fled the system.

 ***CUT TO: _GHOST_ ***

Rex poured a cup of caf. "Want a drink, kid?"

The pilot they had recovered shortly after exiting hyperspace, a blonde woman who turned out to be an Ensign named Diana Merrik, sighed. "I'm fine, sir."

The fact she looked exhausted and sounded tired as well caused the Captain to merely nod and accept her decision. Vacuum could be exhausting even with a high-quality suit on, and Captain Syndulla had informed him that her previous unit had been wiped out.

"Alright, we're docked," said Colonel Jarrus. "Diana, if you don't feel well, you're free to take a nap."

The fact the pilot opted to simply go to what were presumably her quarters instead of talk told Rex all he needed to know.

Boarding the blockade runner, Rex followed the younger rebels and found who he was looking for.

Ahsoka had definitely grown up. She looked at least somewhat taller, her lekku had gotten longer, and her montrals had grown to their full height. The Togruta Jedi's current outfit was somewhat more elegant than her old ones but still fit her style, while two new lightsabers hung from her belt.

"Congratulations on your promotion, _General_ Tano," Rex told Ahsoka.

She smiled and hugged him. "Glad to see you're alright, Rex."

He indicated the others. "They got me out alive, boss. Without these guys coming back for my brothers and I, all three of us would be carrion on Seelos."

"Thank you for trusting my friend," Ahsoka said.

"It wasn't easy, but Rex has a right to be your friend," Kanan said. "He earned it."

"Nothing worth doing is ever easy."

 ***CUT TO: HIMS _DEVASTATOR_ ***

Appo had showered and shaved prior to changing into his black dress uniform. He would've preferred his armor, but Tarkin was a stickler for formality.

Along with Admiral Thrawn and two squads of troops, the Stormtrooper General prepared to greet the Grand Moff at the docking port.

The two ships linked and four figures entered the Devastator. To say Appo was surprised was an understatement.

The first figure looked exactly like General Grievous, only with red photoreceptors and a black paint job in addition to lacking a cape.

The second figure was Governor Tarkin himself.

The third figure was a woman in her thirties with dark hair, ice blue eyes, and an all-black outfit.

The fourth figure was a teenage boy with a buzz cut.

"Governor Tarkin?" Thrawn inquired. "May I ask as to why we were ordered to rendezvous with you?"

"Introductions, Admiral Thrawn," the Eriaduan answered. "This droid is Colonel Necrosis of Military Intelligence. This woman is Countess Serra Vader, second-in-command of the Inquisition and my Lieutenant Governor's wife. This boy is Commander Galen Marek."

"Oh, for Force's sake, sir," Appo said, "you ordered us here for this? Your corvette surely has a hyperdrive, you could've just met us in the Seelos system! We got people behind enemy lines now with no support or possibility of extraction!"

"Unfortunate, General," said Countess Vader. "Hopefully you can rectify that error with the assistance of Colonel Necrosis and Commander Marek."

She turned on her heel and left with Tarkin, who seemed to be annoyed at both her and Appo's words.

Thrawn frowned. "If you two have any business with us, it will have to wait." The Chiss officer then withdrew his comlink. "Captain Montferrat? Set a course for the Seelos system immediately, we need to save our comrades."

"Right away, sir."

"You are a good man, Admiral," said Necrosis. Strangely, the droid sounded nothing like Grevious-was it just the aesthetics they went for? "Others would abandon Major General Kallus and his men in exchange for favors."

"Thank you, Colonel," replied Thrawn.

Marek: "My supervisor and I are here to help you destroy this rebellion, sir. I can assure you of that."

 **ME: A/N: Hopefully this was good, y'all. Finished this late at night; you may get an update tomorrow or later.**

 **I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to those fighting against terrorism in the Middle East, be they part of the American military, the Israeli Defense Force, the Peshmerga, etc.**

 **I was originally gonna use Serra in a Winter Soldier movie-style plot, but decided against it.**

 **I wanted to reference the Servants of the Empire novels, which I unfortunately haven't read as of this update.**


	22. Unwanted Attention

**ME: Time for a hospital recovery...only not the usual kind.**

You can count on me, my lady. I will do anything I can to make sure this mission succeeds.

 **(Apprentice Inquisitor speaking to Countess Serra Vader)**

It was amusing to see Ezra try and lift Chopper... _after_ she had told the astromech to lock himself down.

"Hey, kid!" Captain Rex said. "Might wanna open your eyes, your clanker buddy's got his feet locked down."

Both Sabine and Chopper proceeded to laugh at Ezra's expense. "It's not fair!" He complained.

"Real battles usually aren't," said Kanan.

"General Skywalker combined his command of the Force with his wits," Rex said. "It made him a great warrior."

"Ezra's got plenty of wits," Kanan replied. "He needs discipline."

"Might wanna leave that to a soldier, then." Oh _, snap._

"Are you saying I lack discipline, Rex? A soldier's discipline can't compare to a Jedi's, since we know when _not_ to fight."

Rex started to laugh. "With all due respect, Colonel Jarrus, does this mean you're just gonna ask the Empire to lay down their weapons and give up?"

Fortunately Hera decided to intervene. "Zeb, Sabine, Chopper, Diana: Courtesy of newly promoted Lieutenant Colonel Rex, I've got a new mission for all of you. We've located an abandoned medical station, we'll take _Ghost_ and recover what supplies we can. Kanan, Rex, you can stay with the Fleet."

"Alrignt," Kanan said. "Since Ahsoka's off delivering Wolffe and Gregor, may as well let the Fleet have a Jedi around for morale. Ezra, come with me."

Sabine noticed that Ezra stayed with them. "You know he's gonna be pissed, right?" The young Mandalorian woman commented.

The orphan shrugged. "Trust me, I'd prefer hauling crates to what Kanan has in store for me."

Diana grunted and cleaned a carbine as the _Ghost_ detached. "If the Colonel asks, Wren, I did not encourage Bridger to disobey orders."

"Hey," Zeb asked, "anyone else notice Hera used just ' _Ghost_ ' when referring to this ride? Not 'the _Ghost_?'"

"It's more proper naval terminology to refer to ships that way," the blonde Mandalorian answered. "What I'm more curious about is you suddenly gaining a new bo-rifle, Orrelios."

Presumably because Diana now spoke in a more neutral tone-even if she was still being distant-the Lasat chose to reply. "No convenient black market purchase," he said. "I just shot Kallus and took his."

Sabine: "Damn, Zeb."

"Relax," he snorted. "I didn't kill the bastard, he doesn't need his kneecaps to breathe."

Hera jumped to hyperspace, and the rest of the trip proceeded in silence.

"Alright, we're here," the Twi'lek said.

" _Phantom_ to Spectre Two, come in." Diana was being formal but curt. "Captain Syndulla, do you mind checking your thermal sensors? Be advised: There could be hostiles on board, even if they're just pirates. Over"

"Copy that, Spectre Niner." Sabine suspected the use of _that_ particular call sign was intentional. "Alright, no signs of life on infrared. Take the others via _Phantom_ and get onboard, I'll keep orbiting the station in _Ghost_ in case anyone shows up."

"Roger that, ma'am. I'll detach as soon as they're onboard, thanks for taking a look. _Phantom_ out."

Sabine could appreciate the plan. Sure, the _Ghost_ would be more exposed if Imps came out of hyperspace, but they couldn't hope that the medical station's sensors were still working and activating the sensors would generate a heat signature bigger than the _Ghost_.

"Alright, Diana, we're all aboard," Ezra said once he, Sabine, Zeb, and Chopper had entered the fighter.

"Copy that, Private First Class," Diana replied. "Please refer to me by my rank, rank and last name, preferred call sign, or as _ma'am_ in the future."

Sabine briefly switched off her speakers, cursed the _Dar'jetii_ inside the privacy of her helmet for killing a fellow _Mando's_ comrades, and decided to change the subject. "Hey, I heard about you shutting off that hyperdrive by yourself, Ensign Merrik," she said, trying to be diplomatic. "That was pretty kriffing brave, word is you basically gave up on any chance to escape in order to try and keep the others safe."

" _Mando'a_ doesn't have a word for _hero_ for a reason, Lance Corporal." Diana was undoubtedly being modest about things, like any decent Mandalorian, but something still wasn't right. "Please do not bring that event up again."

"Sorry, ma'am."

"There it is," Zeb said. "The med station." They all knew that, but it helped to focus everyone on the mission.

Sabine transmitted the codes and smiled when they worked. "Spectre Five here, hatch opening."

"Copy, Sabine. Good luck. _Ghost_ out."

She noticed that a force field activated just before the hatch opened and deactivated just after it closed. "Guys, you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"This place is trying to minimize energy use." Zeb was smarter than he looked. As Diana landed the _Phantom_ , he said, "Probably should be grateful even that works."

Initially their Concordian pilot objected to using flashlights, but Sabine was the only one with night vision and it was unlikely anyone else was aboard. Diana was also against leaving the _Phantom_ unguarded, but eventually agreed when Ezra pointed out they would get off the station faster.

After she stopped to spray paint, Sabine could've sworn she heard something.

A hand landed on her shoulder. "Gah!" The Mandalorian screamed, turning to find a certain Padawan. "Really, Ezra?"

"C'mon, Wren!" Diana was impatient over the comm, but who couldn't be at times? "Hurry up, we got jarheads who need this medicine."

The remark stung, causing Sabine to double time it.

"We found the command center," Zeb told them. "Doesn't look very impressive."

"One man's junk is another man's treasure, Zeb," Ezra argued with a smirk.

"Don't expect my recommendation," Diana muttered. "Force, forget the cold. I'm surprised anything's still working."

"Power it up, Chop," Sabine told the astromech.

Pretty much all the lights turned on. "I didn't mean the whole station."

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _DEVASTATOR_ ***

Kallus had gotten used to his new cybernetic legs, but it was still aggravating that Tarkin had compromised his mission. Due to lack of support from the _Devastator_ Battle Group, besides losing his kneecaps and bo-rifle the ISB agent knew one AT-AT crew was dead and three of the massive walkers had been destroyed, but they had nothing to show for it.

"How have the Colonel and his Commander charge been, Admiral?"

Thrawn shrugged. "Better than expected, General. They were not involved in the decision to pull the Group away, thankfully."

"Sirs," said the sensor operator, "I've detected an increased thermal signature from an abandoned medical station. The reactor must've been powered up, possibly by terrorists."

Kallus frowned. "I don't want to risk unnecessary losses." _Especially after that debacle._ "I say we send a probe droid at most; could just be scavengers or even a malfunction."

"Unfortunately not, sirs." Kallus and Thrawn turned to find Necrosis towering over them and his Inquisitor associate. "We have received intelligence indicating that the rebel scum are onboard that station."

"Very well," the Major General said. "Montferrat, set a course for the med station."

"Please allow us to deal with this on our own, Agent Kallus," Commander Marek said. "Stealth will be essential, so unless this ship has a cloaking device _Devastator_ is a last resort option."

 **ME: A/N: Sorry for not completing the entire episode, but it was getting late when I finished this chapter and I wanted to give you guys something for Thanksgiving.**

 **Also, just read the first Servants of the Empire novel. Pretty good, actually.**

 **Also, I'm wondering if I should take a page out of Greg Weisman's playbook and, like Young Justice, have the protagonists encounter varying antagonists.**


	23. Revelations of a Failure

**ME: Now time for the rest of "Always Two There Are" to be adapted.**

Jerec has failed the New Order, sir. He has failed to capture or kill Master Altis and his sect, and I doubt the _Vendetta_ will be of much use after that EMP. This kind of performance is absolutely unacceptable.

 **(Count Chad Vader, speaking with Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin)**

Diana had changed her opinion of Spectre Team. Rather then negligent, now they were simply... _unprofessional_.

Orrelios and Bridger had started a race for the supplies, ending with the Lasat being delayed by crates knocked over by the teenager and the _Jetii_ bumping his head into a fallen support beam. That was after Wren had wasted time by spray painting graffiti.

 _Okay, just keep my complaints inside my head and refuse to bond with anyone. Do that and General Tano could transfer me somewhere else._

Now searching for the astromech after he had apparently called for assistance, Orrelios was stuck in the vents due to his size. By this point, Diana was simply resigned to spending more time aboard a frankly creepy place then absolutely necessary.

"Chopper!" Bridger asked as they rounded a corner. "Where are you?"

The Concordian rebel thought she saw a red light in the corridor then frowned. _I got a bad feeling about this._

"Chopper?"

A droid floated into view, but it wasn't the C1. "That looks like a probe droid," Wren commented as Diana disengaged her carbine's safety.

A female figure whose face was concealed by a gas mask came out of the shadows. "My informant here told me you had arrived," she said. Her voice made it sound like she was around Bridger's age. "I've been searching for you for some time."

"A bounty hunter?" Bridger suggested, drawing his weapon.

"Guess again," the hostile said, igniting a red lightsaber blade.

" _Dar'jetti!_ " Diana and Wren yelled simultaneously.

"She's an Inquisitior!" Said the Padawan, activating his own _Jetii'kad_.

"Oh, _good_ ," said the Inquisitor. "You caught on quick, buddy, so I'm willing to bet you can guess what comes next."

"Fall back, now!" Diana ordered, opening fire. "Both of you, move it!"

The trio of rebels retreated, pursued by both the Imperial _Dar'jetti_ and three of the droids (two more having joined the first).

Bridger moved in and engaged the Inquisitor, leaving Diana and Wren to deal with the droids.

The sole survivor of Phoenix Squadron was only able to hit one of the droids due to their small size and evasive maneuvers before one of them landing on her forearm and electrocuted Diana. She grunted in pain before Wren aimed one of her pistols at the photoreceptor and shot it.

" _Vor'e,_ " Diana said in gratitude.

Wren simply nodded and both looked up just in time to see Bridger get kicked in the chest.

The younger Mandalorian helped him up while Diana switched to stun and provided covering fire. "We need to get to the others, now!" None of her shots hit, but the Ensign knew that even if the _Dar'jetii_ blocked all the shots none of them could be sent back to Diana like lethal rounds.

The trio ran down the corridor and turned left but instead of safety found two new dangers.

The first was a _beskar'ad_ , a droid that looked like General Grievous but lacking a cape and somehow looked even more intimidating.

The second was a humanoid male with a face hidden by a riot visor. A hand reached to his helmet and depolarized it, revealing a stoic face.

"Hello."

"How many of these guys are there?!" Bridger asked.

"Two, three counting the droid!" Diana replied.

Stopping due to a closed blast door, she turned and fired a few more rounds off while Wren opened it.

"Come on, come on!"

Suddenly the Padawan grunted and fell. It was due to the actions of the surviving small droid, who was now dragging him towards the Imperials.

"No!" Wren yelled.

The older Mandalorian dropped to one knee, aimed, and pulled the trigger. However, her magazine had been depleted and the rifle fired no shots.

"Sabine, Diana, run!" Bridger yelled as he stabbed the door controls, effectively sacrificing himself.

"EZRA!"

 ***CUT TO: COCKPIT OF _GHOST_ ***

Hera frowned as she checked the sensors. No radar or thermal signatures indicating Imperials or other hostile groups had been detected, yet the others had been silent since arriving aboard the med station.

"This is Spectre Two to _Phantom_ , come in," she said. The Twi'lek waited fifteen seconds for a reply before saying, "Captain Syndulla to Ensign Merrik, over."

While potential comm problems made it seem attractive to land and investigate, Hera knew there would be problems with that plan. Specifically, the fact she would be unable to keep watch for incoming ships anymore.

"Spectre Four, this is Spectre Two. Comm check, over."

 ***CUT TO: ABANDONED MED STATION***

"How noble, sacrificing yourself for your team," the female Inquisitor said as the hovering droid latched onto his right forearm. "Just like a Jedi."

"I'm learning," Ezra spat in defiance.

"Unfortunately for you, not quite enough," she replied.

The male, blade still ignited, moved in for the kill. The Padawan merely shut his eyes and waited for the end.

Surprisingly enough, Ezra heard the sound of one lightsaber blade blocking another. He opened his eyes and saw that the female Inquisitor had saved his life.

"What the f-."

"Commander, what are you doing?!" General Grievous-no, some droid that happened to look like the Separatist war machine from the history holobooks he had seen-demanded. "We need to kill this Jedi and hunt down his confederates!"

The female Inquisitor shook her head. "Colonel Necrosis, with all due respect, my plan's better. I can keep watch over this Padawan-who will serve as bait-while you two find the others."

"No!" Said Ezra.

 ***CUT TO: HANGAR OF HIMS _EXECUTRIX_ ***

By this point, Tarkin actually missed the Pau'an High Inquisitor. At this rate, anyone could outperform Jerec.

 _At least he was intelligent. How hard is it to take down a_ freighter _when you have a Dreadnaught and TIEs backing you up? Jerec doesn't look very attractive as an ally now._

The Miraluka's TIE fighter landed and the failure exited. "Grand Moff Tarkin, sir, I await your command."

The Governor of the Outer Rim snorted. "Jerec, if I am correct, you prevented Jedi Master Djinn Altis from meeting with the rebel terrorists on Mandalore, correct?"

"Yes, sir," Jerec answered.

"And yet, my _subordinate_ ," Tarkin sneered, "you not only failed to kill or capture Altis per your orders, you also ended up losing _Vendetta_ , correct?"

"Well-."

The ruthless Eriaduan held up his hand. "Jerec, if I wanted excuses, I would have asked for a Senator. You may have prevented the Mandalorian insurrection from getting stronger, but the chief threat to the stability of the Empire is now stronger. And that, Inquisitor is something we cannot have. Count Vader?"

The High Inquisitor turned before being backhanded by Tarkin's Lieutenant Governor.

"I'm a busy man, Jerec, and you aren't worth the time it would take to give you a good choking."

Tarkin's only complaint was that the Count's punishment of Jerec had caused blood to stain the deck.

 ***CUT TO: ABANDONED MED STATION***

Though normally the sight of Zeb stuck in a ventilation shaft would've been funny, Ezra being captured only made Sabine bite back a curse.

"I can't die this way!" Zeb complained. "I'm one of the few survivors of my people!"

Both of the Mandalorians got him down. "Zeb," Sabine said, "Ezra's been captured."

"By whom?" He asked.

"Inquisitors, Sergeant Major," Diana explained. "Two of 'em, to be precise. Be advised: Accompanying them is some droid that looks like General Grievous from the Clone Wars."

" _Two?!_ " The Lasat exclaimed. "One was bad enough, now two? And they brought a Grievous wannabe? We gotta get Hera to call for backup!"

"Negative," Diana said. "We can't risk compromising the Fleet just for Ez-I mean, Bridger."

"I agree," said Sabine, cutting off Zeb before he could argue. "We'll have to try and save Ezra on our own." She then turned to Diana. "That was kinda callous, _ner vod_ , but I noticed you nearly called Ezra by his first name."

To say the Concordian was embarrassed would be an understatement. "It was a slip-up."

"Yeah," Zeb snorted, "any plans to rescue Ezra?"

"I'm working on one."

Together they set up an ambush. Explosives were put in place and Sabine held the detonator.

 _If those bastards so much as gave Ezra a paper cut, I'm gonna kill them all._ Slowly.

The male Inquisitor, the probe (probably some kind of prototype or high-end droid), and the droid came into view and turned down their corridor.

"Now, do it," Diana ordered in a whisper.

Sabine squeezed the detonator, but to her horror there were no explosions.

"How come it isn't working?" Zeb asked quietly.

Suddenly all the explosives rose into the air, the male Inquisitor evidently having disarmed them before turning them against the rebel insurgents.

"Run!" Sabine yelled as the trio tried to escape before they exploded and she was knocked unconscious.

Colonel Necrosis and Commander Galen Marek both ignited their lightsabers and found two of the rebels that had formerly operated out of Lasan.

"The pilot is yours," Necrosis ordered the mimic droid. "Do as you will."

"Shouldn't one of us find her instead?" Galen asked. "With all due respect, Colonel, I don't think you should put all your faith in a prototype."

"These two are more dangerous," Necrosis told him, hoisting the Lasat insurgent in a fireman's carry. "But I appreciate your concern and will note it."

 ***CUT TO: BACTA TANK CHAMBER ABOARD ABANDONED MED STATION***

"Pretty unique design, Padawan Jabba," the female Inquisitor snarked. "You've managed to integrate a stun blaster into your lightsaber, enabling a virtually seamless transition from ranged combat to melee combat and vice versa. Like the first pre-interplanetary leader who was smart enough to order his soldiers to mount bayonets on their slugthrower rifles, you have creativity."

"Well, I know a few things," Ezra replied. "I could teach you-if you ditched the Empire first, of course."

She took off her tactical glasses and half-face mask, revealing piercing, intelligent blue eyes and blond eyebrows. _Gee, I actually prefer that Pau'an guy's irises in comparison. This chick gives me the creeps._ "Well, you have potential, true. But I'd honestly join the Inquisition or even throw in your lot with those humorless bastards-I mean, the Shadow Guard-since your master never actually was Knighted, was he? He was just known as Padawan Caleb Dume during Order Sixty-Six, after all."

Ezra rolled his eyes. "Was he never made a Jedi Knight? Yeah, and he'll be the first to admit that. But Kanan took out the Inquisitor sent after us, buckethead, so I think I'll stick with him."

"Yes, the death of the late High Inquisitor of the Outer Rim was a surprise to all of us," she said. "But it opened up new opportunities for advancement. There are many hunting both you and your mentor now. Of course, SOP is to try and take you two alive, but there are rumors Lord Vader would prefer to see you two and your team exterminated. Scary, huh?"

She activated his lightsaber and held the blue blade at his throat. Ezra looked her in the eye, defiant. "If you were gonna kill me, honey, you would have taken my head off by now."

"I have no plans to kill you, Bridger," the Inquisitor said. "Not like you're that much of a threat anyways since the Jedi of old are dead."

"Not all of them!" He snapped.

"Of course, I was just exaggerating," she replied. "After all, we know about Ahsoka Tano and Master Altis."

Shit _, I hate my big mouth._ "Ahsoka, Altis?" He said.

The Imperial turned around and ignited her own lightsaber. "Newsflash: For bait, I only need you alive. That doesn't mean in one piece or even comfortable, Jedi wannabe!" She kicked him in the groin. "Where is Ahsoka Tano?"

 ***CUT TO: STORAGE UNIT ABOARD ABANDONED MED STATION***

Diana groaned in pain and drew her sidearm. "Damn _Dar'jetii_ ," she muttered.

Suddenly she heard one of those damn droids again. " _Osik_ ," she cursed, checking the charge of her blaster.

Then the droid landed on Diana's left forearm, electrocuting the pilot.

Roaring in pain, the Concordian did the only thing could think of. She pistol whipped the droid, hitting it in the photoreceptor.

The _beskar'ad_ screamed and tried to flee, but Diana shot it before it could get away.

"Kriff," she grunted, grabbing her carbine from off the deck.

Diana found a repulsor cart and some crates with the faded Republic cog on them.

"Oh, now I find some damn medical supplies?" She muttered.

The Mandalorian started to haul them out but found Sabine's helmet.

 _FUC-._

 _Great, Diana. Now you're calling them by their_ first names _; getting attached'll just make it harder when they die._

Shaking her head, Diana put the helmet on top of one of the crates and started to head back for the hangar. Keeping her carbine in one hand, she looked to her left and saw Spectre Team's astromech.

"Chopper!" She said. "Never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad to see you."

Knocking on Chopper with her fist and hauling him up, the droid woke up and spun around as if he was fighting.

"Let's move it back to the hangar bay, Chopper," she ordered. "I need your help."

The _beskar'ad laughed_ at her.

"This isn't funny!" Diana snapped. "We gotta get Captain Syndulla, the others have been captured."

Making her way to the hangar, the woman who once was Phoenix Eight arrived just in time to see Captain Syndulla land _Ghost_.

The Twi'lek frowned. "Where the hell are the others, Ensign?!" She snapped. "I've been trying to raise-."

Diana held up a hand. "Ma'am, they're in trouble. Ezra and the others were taken by these Inquisitors as well as some droid that looks exactly like General Grievous."

To say Captain Syndulla reacted negatively would be downplaying things. "Forcedammit!" She cursed. "Force fucking dammit!"

The young Mandalorian woman sighed. "Captain, we don't stand a chance against these _chakaars_ if we try and take 'em on in an even fight."

Since they were the same height, it was easy for the two to look each other in the eye. "Then we'll have to fight unfair, my dear."

 ***CUT TO: BACTA TANK CHAMBER ABOARD ABANDONED MED STATION***

"Spectre Two to Spectre Four, come in. Sergeant Major Orrelios, do you read? Over."

 _She never addresses me like-._

"You will answer her," the male Inquisitor ordered.

Zeb cleared his mind, hoping to convince him that he was obeying like a good little pawn. _Yeah, I sure don't mind Grievous Wannabe taking my rifle._

"Solid copy, ma'am," he answered. "We have the supplies, I repeat, medical supplies retrieved. Be advised: The _Phantom_ has malfunctioned, say again, we are unable to takeoff due to problems with the _Phantom_. Better bring in Generals Altis and Tano as well, Captain. Over."

"Roger that, report to the hangar. You got ten minutes, now keep your chin up and get it done. Syndulla out."

"Alright, let's go," said the droid.

"Don't worry, rebel scum," said the female Inquisitor as he, Sabine, and Ezra were marched to the hangar bay. "Your deaths will be as quick and efficient as possible."

 _Thanks for the comfort, girlie._

The blast door opened, but the _Phantom_ was now absent.

 _Chin up, chin up..._

The Lasat SNCO looked up...and saw the fighter docked with the Ghost.

The Imps looked up and saw the rebels' rescue, too. "Son of a-."

Hera detached from the ceiling and opened fire.

"-BITCH!" The bucketheads yelled as they fell back.

After retrieving Ezra's lightsaber (which, unlike Zeb's new bo-rifle, had been kept on the female Inquisitor's belt), the three ran for the Ghost and got onboard.

Furious at being forced to retreat, Commander Bellona Marek of the Imperial Inquisition tapped her helmet. "They're trying to get away!" She ordered the crew of Necrosis and Galen's ship. "Decloak and attempt to disable them, I repeat, try to take them alive if possible!"

The MagnaGuards crewing the _Sentinel_ -class landing craft complied and decloaked after detaching from the med station. Opening fire with their ship's ion cannon, they tried and failed to prevent the insurrectionists from fleeing into hyperspace.

Galen sighed. "Well, Bell, Countess Vader will not be pleased."

"I'll take full responsibility for this incident, kids," Necrosis offered. "It was my mission, my mistake."

"Sir," she said, "I should have sensed her presence."

Her twin brother put a hand on her shoulder. "Looks like we'll have to flip a cred for responsibility, then."

The three proceeded to the ship that had taken Bell to the med station just as the door opened.

"How did the mission go?"

"It was a failure," the trio said simultaneously after kneeling.

Countess Vader held up a hand and nodded. "Colonel Necrosis, in your own words, whose fault was that?"

"Mine, my lady," he said.

"Sir Marek, who would you blame?"

Galen did not hesitate before saying, "I am responsible, my lady, for the failure of this mission."

"He's wrong, my lady," Bell cut in. "I failed to sense the rebel pilot-."

"-so did I-," Galen interrupted.

Countess Vader held up her hand again. "Enough, both of you. However, having monitored this mission, I'm pleased with your actions."

The three looked at each other. After several seconds of silence following that, Necrosis asked, "Pardon me, my lady?"

The wife of the Lieutenant Governor of the Outer Rim brought out her datapad. "I had the mimic droids transmitting data to me. I had seen that the pilot survived in light of her successfully destroying the last one. However, as previously discussed, I decided to not intervene unless you requested backup or it became apparent my assistance would be absolutely necessary."

She smiled. "Honestly, I'm pleased that you three each tried to save those you cared about by attempting to assume complete responsibility. This is admirable; failure is a better judge of character than success. In light of this, I'm assigning all of you to work under Baroness Raana Tano. Commanders, congratulations; you have earned the opportunity to train under a great woman."

"Thank you, my lady."

 ***CUT TO: DOCKING CLAMP OF _LIBERATOR_ ***

Rex noticed Colonel Jarrus was frowning. "Is there a problem, sir?"

"Only that Ezra ran off," the Jedi said as the hatch opened. "Hey, kid, we need to talk."

"Yeah, we do," Ezra replied instantly. "About the two new Inquisitors hunting us down."

"Wait, what?" The Colonel asked.

"Also," Zeb said, "they know about Ahsoka."

Rex paled. "Kark, we need to inform General Tano and Commodore Ackbar immediately."

"We have Diana to thank," Hera said. "Thanks to her, we didn't lose anyone back on the med station and even gained some supplies."

Ackbar, the Lieutenant Colonel thought, took things surprisingly well considering his command was now even more of a target. "It is good that you are tenacious fighters, Spectre Team," he said. "We will need to inform Senator Organa as well."

Shortly afterward, Phoenix Fleet jumped into hyperspace and headed to rendezvous with Senator Organa's personal corvette, _Tantive IV_. After _Liberator_ docked with said CR90 (which was escorted by a quartet of DP20 frigates), Spectre Team along with Commodore Ackbar and Colonel Subu boarded _Tantive IV_.

"Isn't it dangerous having so many important figures aboard one ship?" Sabine asked. "Sir, if something goes wrong we could be dealt a serious blow."

"We'll be transitioning to hyperspace soon," Rex answered. "The ceremony will be brief and not broadcasted live."

"Ceremony?"

As _Tantive IV_ jumped to hyperspace, they met Senator Organa. "Commodore Ackbar, Colonel Subu, Colonel Jarrus, Captain Syndulla, Lieutenant Colonel Rex," the Alderaanian greeted them.

"Senator Organa," they responded.

He smiled and found _Phantom's_ pilot. "Are you Ensign Diana Merrik?"

"Yes, sir," Diana said.

Colonel Subu walked forward and handed Organa a sheet of flimsi. The Senator read it and frowned.

"Apologies, Ensign, but we'll have to make this quick."

Moving to the mess hall, the Alderaanian Senator got behind a podium and cleared his throat.

"For conspicuous gallantry in the face of imminent danger to your own life, Diana Merrik, I proudly present you on behalf of the Alliance to Restore the Republic with the Medal of Honor."

 **ME: A/N: Hopefully y'all like this.**

 **I wanted to make Necrosis smarter than the Fifth Brother, who seems to have fallen prey to Bond Villain Stupidity in both of his two episodes. So far. Plus both he and the Seventh Sister fell for the "Commander Meiloorun" thing-do the Inquisitors not eat fruit? Granted, it was nice comic relief for a rather dark episode, but still.**

 **Serra actually being glad that Necrosis, Galen, and Bell all tried to take the blame is a reference to a certain Young Justice episode.**

 **Bell herself is named after the Roman deity Bellona. I was inspired by a story featuring a female Starkiller and the fact Galen is supposed to be a dark side version of Luke-why not a dark version of Leia? Worst case scenario, I hope you guys appreciate the increased number of villains.**

 **Diana got her MOH both to recognize her own courage and to raise morale.**

 **Bell dresses in a utility uniform (I.e. Like ACUs and MCCUUs) with a red and gray camoflauge pattern like the Arkham Knight. It's to make her less visible, particularly in urban environments, while remaining intimidating. Her haircut is similar in length to Miss Martian's Season 2 look from Young Justice. Might need a different VA, though.**

 **Galen, on the other hand, dresses in a black version of the Judge uniforms from the Dredd movie with red trim and an Imperial cog in place of the badge.**

 **Also, I made Rex a Lieutenant Colonel because he was a Captain in the Clone Wars. However, while the rebs need officers, he's been off the field for a while...  
**

 **Here's some Fridge Horror: I headcanon guys like Sato as Clone Wars vets. Now consider that, like in the American Civil War (where there were Union and Confederate officers who studied with and even served with each other prior to the war), said Clone Wars veterans are liable to end up fighting each other.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler, the first US casualty in the fight against ISIS/ISIL. I don't care what they said, Master Sergeant, you died in combat and you should be acknowledged as a man who has died bravely in war.**


	24. A New Opportunity

**ME: Time for "Brothers of the Broken Horn" to be adapted.**

I'm glad you chose the side of law and order, my love. The Great Uniter's New Order is succeeding where the Republic failed, and I'm glad we both are working to keep things moving forward. Together we can create a better future.

 **(Count Chad Vader, Lieutenant Governor of the Outer Rim, speaking to his wife, Countess Serra Vader, second-in-command of the Imperial Inquisition)**

Rex observed Ezra as he tried unsuccessfully to hit the Stormtrooper helmet Chopper was moving around.

"Aim first, fire second, shiny," the Lieutenant Colonel chided.

"Rex," the Padawan said, "I bet sometimes even you miss."

"Speaking of missing, Ezra," Colonel Jarrus cut in, "you're missing Jedi training right now."

The teenage boy sighed. "Guys, I can't be in two places at once."

"Looks like you need to learn how to prioritize, kid. It's an essential for soldiering."

Jarrus frowned and shook his head before saying, "Ezra's not training to be a soldier, Rex. He's training to become a Jedi Knight."

"What if I want to be both?"

Sabine came down the loading ramp. "Hey, guys! Ackbar's contacted us, Hera wants you present for the briefing."

The trio complied and found themselves looking at a holographic projection of the Mon Calamari Commodore.

"The people of Rhen Var now face an energy crisis," he said. "They are having difficulty powering the heating systems necessary to survive the hostile conditions. If we can't get them what they need, the locals will freeze to death and we will lose a safe haven for those fleeing the Empire's wrath."

"Alright, looks like we're gonna have to make some friends to get the power supplies those people need," Hera said. "Except for you, Ezra."

"Wait, what?"

"Don't you remember me telling you to repair the electricity conduits linking the reactor to the ion engines?" Hera asked. " _Twice?_ "

"But I had Jedi practice!" The kid protested. "And blaster practice!"

"Well now you got maintenance practice," the Twi'lek officer snarked.

Chopper laughed. "Aren't you gonna be involved in repairing those conduits as well since you're an astromech, clanker?" Rex said.

"Great minds think alike, Colonel."

The laughter died.

Ezra grumbled as he finished the repairs alongside Chopper. "I honestly would rather be out on the streets, making a difference," he complained. "This gets boring..."

"Mayday, Mayday, Mayday," a voice called out. "This is _Broken Horn_ requesting immediate assistance, does anyone copy? Over."

Padawan and droid looked at each other. "That's Vizago's ship," Ezra said.

"I repeat, Mayday, Mayday. I require immediate assistance, is anyone out there?"

"Why don't we teach this crime boss a lesson about trying to kill rebels, Chop? But I do technically owe him a favor, so Vizago'll get rescued and that'll make us even. After all, Kanan taught me Jedi help others in need."

 ***CUT TO: GAREL CITY BLACK MARKET***

Sabine was curious at the increased bulk of both Kanan and Hera. "You guys on steroids or something?"

"Hopefully you won't have to learn why, Sabine," the Captain of the _Ghost_ answered.

Dealing with criminals was distasteful but necessary. The black market offered goods legal businesses did not, and even if they had the necessary equipment proper merchants might end up telling the Empire of the rebels' purchases, intentionally or otherwise.

The six came across what looked to be a local Black Sun chapter. The leader, a Falleen with his organization's tattoo on his forehead, smiled at Kanan.

"What brings you here to our humble domain, friend?" He asked.

 _Creepy bastard,_ Sabine thought, but she didn't vocalize her thoughts for obvious reasons.

Kanan cleared his throat. "We're looking for electrical generators," he said. "You know how the market is with the Empire clamping down."

"Oh, I know," said the Falleen. "In many ways, the Empire is not good for business. In others..."

The bastard then drew a slugthrower handgun-a revolver, of all things-and fired.

Sabine cursed as she drew her dual pistols and opened fire. Thought the Black Sun scumbags had the advantage of numbers and surprise, they weren't experienced or particularly competent. Within one minute they were all dead.

Kanan grunted as he ripped his tunic, revealing a black blast vest. "Thank the Force I decided to armor up, but this still hurts."

"Black Scummers must've been hoping to collect on your bounty," Zeb stated. He opened a crate and found, of all things, a bo-rifle. "Well... _damn_. At least we got something of value out of this mess, Kanan."

 ***CUT TO: INITIATE BARRACKS, IMPERIAL INQUISITION ACADEMY, BYSS***

Besides fear, the only reason Dhara Leonis cooperated at all with her captors was the fact that Zare had a target on his back for being her little brother. The Empire knew he was a rebel informant, but they kept him alive so Zare could be used as an unwitting hostage.

 _If I obey and stay here like a good little puppet, he lives. If I disobey and try to escape this Academy, Zare will be executed for treason. Or_ worse _._

As the dark-skinned teenage girl showered, she reflected on her family's predicament. Dhara may have been Force-sensitive, but it was a curse, not a blessing. Both of her parents were undoubtedly worried sick, Zare had effectively signed his own death warrant, and on top of that she was in the custody of the Imperial Inquisition.

"Initiate Leonis?"

Dhara yelped in surprise, shut off the water, and grabbed a towel. "You want to see me, my lord?"

"Don't flatter yourself, I'm not here for your body," the voice replied. She gritted her teeth but didn't comment to avoid invoking his wrath. "Dry off and step outside."

The shower room was a communal facility, but Dhara was grateful it had a door. After drying off and wrapping the towel around her chest, she stepped outside.

She recognized the man; he was High Inquisitor Jerec, the successor to the Pau'an who had abducted her as regional head of operations for the Outer Rim.

"Child, I have selected you as my apprentice," the Miraluka said. "Get dressed and pack your things, _now_. I have a schedule to keep."

Dhara complied. Jerec looked pissed off, and the second last thing she wanted to do was get him to take out his anger on her.

 ***CUT TO: _PHANTOM_ , APPROACHING _BROKEN HORN_ ***

"No, I'm not running from my problems," Ezra argued with Chopper. "I'm helping other people with their problems. There's a significant difference, Chop."

After the sleaze known as Cikatro Vizago failed to respond, the _Phantom_ docked with the _Broken Horn_. The Padawan put on his customized helmet and had his lightsaber at the ready, knowing there could be trouble.

"Something's definitely up," Ezra noted, for the ship seemed eerily quiet. "We better stick together, Chopper."

He proceeded further into the Broken Horn then turned only to bump into something.

"Gah!" Ezra said as he hit the floor, getting two shots off as he did.

To his surprise, the IG-RM thug droids were motionless like statues. Ezra frowned and lifted his faceplate just to make sure they were offline. "Something's wrong for sure now, Chop."

When Ezra didn't get a reply, he turned and saw the droid was nowhere to be found.

"Oh, _fuck you,_ irony."

Opening the hatch to the bridge, Ezra was surprised to find a Weequay stand up.

"Hello, there!" Said the man, who seemed much nicer than Vizago (not that that was something to be proud of). "My name is Hondo Ohnaka, proud owner of this fine but currently inoperable vessel."

"Where's Vizago?" Ezra asked. "This is _his_ ship."

"I won _Broken Horn_ , along with the droids, in a friendly game of sabaac with our mutual friend. Who are you?"

Ezra took off his helmet out of politeness. "You can call me Lando Calrissian."

"Calrissian?" The Weequay said. "You're a little younger than I expected, but I'm honored to meet the semi-famous Lando Calrissian. To be so young yet so successful."

As if on cue, the radar warning receiver beeped.

"Yeah," Ezra said as he got to work on the navicomputer. "I'm gonna try and successfully get this thing working, you distract them."

"Attention, transport," said a haughty Imperial voice. "You are in restricted space, surrender or be annihilated in the name of His Imperial Majesty the Great Uniter."

Hondo chuckled before replying. "My mistake, sailor," he said. "All hail the Great Uniter! Long may he Sheev!"

"Blasphemy!" The officer hissed. "Prepare to be destroyed!"

As the _Broken Horn_ started taking fire, Ezra finished fixing the navicomputer and Chopper rolled in, eager to retreat into hyperspace.

"Well, my friends," said Hondo, "looks like we three scoundrels are off on an adventure!"

As the _Broken Horn_ moved through hyperspace, the Weequay man smiled. "Would you like to make some money, Lando?"

"Of course, thank you," Ezra responded. "What's the job?"

"Selling goods," Hondo answered. "I'm an older businessman who needs a spry young man like you to push crates."

Chopper displayed a hologram of what appeared to be the goods. "Power generators, old man?" Ezra asked. "Pretty rare and expensive these days."

"I know," replied Hondo. "So I'm going for a five-hundred percent markup out of fairness."

"Sounds reasonable," said Ezra. "Just pay me my cut in power generators, three crates."

"Two and you have a deal."

"Agreed, as long as we split the profit of the third."

Hondo laughed. "My boy, how you strike a bargain reminds me of a great pirate. Me, hah!"

After exiting hyperspace, the _Broken Horn_ landed in the hangar bay of a space station.

"Stay here in case we get into trouble, Chopper," Ezra told the astromech as they offloaded the crates.

The droid beeped his protests.

"I know we're already in trouble!" He snapped, hoping Hondo wasn't listening. "Just keep your comm channel open."

"Hurry up, Lando! We are on a schedule!"

Following the pirate, Ezra entered a hangar bay just before seeing someone who could be described as a Hutt with legs and two goons.

"Azmorigan," he muttered, sealing his helmet.

"Where's Vizago?" The fat crime lord demanded.

Hondo chuckled. "Vizago is unable to come, good sir. Therefore, I have the privilege of doing business with you, Great Azmorigan. Hondo Ohanaka at your service."

"Is this a joke?" Azmorigan sneered. "I don't deal with washed up old relics!"

"Come now, let's leave your wife out of this!" Replied Hondo. "There is no need for such impropriety among thieves!"

"You're right."

Azmorigan's escorts aimed their rifles, and three more thugs wearing bug-like helmets got up.

"Good going, partner," Ezra snarked as he activated his comlink. "If only we had some backup."

"You're not getting any backup, you plebe," Azmorigan said after they were forced to their knees. "Wait-one of you, take off his helmet."

One of his men yanked off Ezra's helmet.

"I know you!" Azmorigan said. "From Calrissian's farm on Lothal!"

"Of course you do!" Hondo stated. "This is my friend Lando Calrissian!"

"This isn't Lando!" Snapped the crime lord.

"You lied to me?" Questioned Hondo as Ezra looked away in shame. "I knew I liked you!"

"The Empire's put a bounty on your head, punk," Azmorigan told Ezra. "Hondo, one of your ex-girlfriends will pay me a small fortune to deliver you alive so she can make you suffer! On top of that, I get all of the generators for free! All five of them!"

"Uh, sir?"

"What?!"

"...there are only four crates."

Just as the goon finished talking, Chopper charged in.

"Blast him!" Azmorigan ordered, opening fire.

Both Ezra and Hondo took cover as Chopper came around and cut their binders with a plasma torch in addition to giving Ezra his gun-saber back.

"Thanks, Chop," the Padawan said as he opened fire, stunning two thugs before being forced into cover.

Drawing a concealed knife, Hondo snuck up behind one of the three remaining goons, stabbed him in the side of the neck, and pulled the blade out through the front. Grabbing the dying criminal's rifle, he shot one of Azmorigan's two remaining guards.

Now outnumbered three-to-two, Azmorigan and his remaining henchman were soon stunned. Ezra then gave Hondo the credits.

"Here's an offer: In exchange for the generators, you keep all the credits and I introduce you to my crew. I think I can get you a good deal working with us."

"Oh, I love the potential of future profits!" Hondo said eagerly. "I understand delayed gratification."

 **ME: A/N: And this concludes the adaptation of "Brothers of the Broken Horn." Instead of just walking off richer, Hondo has now received a letter of marque from the rebels. Essentially _Broken Horn_ is now his and Hondo is authorized to attack Imperial vessels and recoup his expenses via asset seizures.**

 **Feel free to imagine Vizago being kicked off by Hondo with only the clothes on his back-not even left with some pocket change-and thus finally getting comeuppance for not paying the crew for the disruptors. Also, since Ezra believes Vizago tried to murder Zeb and Chopper, in this case just kicking him off is considered repaying him.**

 **From what I understand, Jerec is a jackass. I hope I portrayed him accurately.**

 **Also, I know the planet they were aiding in Rebels was different but I wanted to make a Shout-Out to the first Battlefront game. Tactical thinking is actually rewarded on the Rhen Var map (you can secure a cave that can help you win easier).**

 **Good night and I wish you all a Merry Christmas (or a Happy Hanukkah if you're Jewish) and a Happy New Year. I finished this late at night, so apologies for any mistakes. Reviews are appreciated.**


	25. Siege of Ibaar

**ME: Sorry for the lack of updates, guys. Things have been rather hectic, but in light of watching _The Force Awakens_ and Christmas coming up I had to pull through for you guys. A/N: Besides the adaptation of "Wings of the Master," included will be a character from the Darth Vader comic currently being published by Marvel. You can look up the (incredibly awesome) comics via Hello Comic, but if I spoil anything I gave you a fair warning.**

One thing is certain, my apprentice. The Senate will always be quite the wretched hive of scum and villainy.

 **(Emperor Sheev Palpatine, speaking to Lord Darth Vader)**

"The Empire has cut off our supply lines," said the Ibaarian rebel. "Without your drop, the weakest amongst us are liable to starve with our decreased _access_ to food."

"Stay strong, my friend," Kanan reassured him. "We'll be there soon."

"You have our deepest gratitude, Phoenix Fleet."

The situation was not ideal, Hera reflected. On loan from another cell was a GR-75 medium transport to haul the supplies and twelve Z-95 Headhunters for escort duty. The Z-95s were older and slower than the A-wings, but more durable and cheaper. However, the Empire had control over most of Ibaar and thus their options for trying to enter the atmosphere were limited.

 _Ghost_ dropped out of hyperspace. The Ibaarian rebel clearned his throat and said, "We got-guys-standing by-to-," as the signal was cut off.

Sabine: "We're being jammed!"

Hera sighed as both Ezra and Kanan moved to man the nose gun and turret, respectively. "Transport One, Escort Leader, be advised: It looks like the Empire came to welcome us, over."

"Attention, rebel convoy," said a familiar voice. "This system is under Imperial control; stand down or be destroyed."

"What a surprise," Zeb grumbled in anger. "Agent Kallus." The Lasat activated the ship's comlink and said, "Hey, asshole! How are your knees?!"

"I am fit for combat, rebel scum," came the reply. "You will wish that you ignored the wishes of Padawan Dume and killed me when you had the chance."

Hera shook her head. "Escort Leader, your pilots ready?"

"As ready as we'll ever be, _Ghost_ Actual," said the Commander. "Let's go!"

TIE fighters from both the Gozanti freighters and the Carrack-class light cruiser moved in along with TIE droids that used to be on top of the Imperial warships.

"Diana, we got fighters coming your way!" The Twi'lek Captain ordered.

"I got 'em, ma'am!" The Concordian pilot replied. "Splash one!"

The Imperials, undoubtedly knowing the rebels had arrived to provide aid to their besieged Ibaarian allies, focused fire on Transport One. "We're taking heavy fire!" Their comms technician yelled. "We can't do this!"

"Stay on course, Transport One," Hera ordered.

The enemy vessels continued to fire. "We're losing our shields!"

"Almost there!"

Transport One, however, still took a considerable pounding. "Shields down, say again, we lost our shields! Hull-."

The reactor's magnetic containment field must've been destroyed, for the ship was destroyed to Hera's anger and sadness.

"We lost the transport! I repeat, transport down! Looks like no survivors, over," Escort Leader stated.

"All units," Kanan ordered, "abort! Abort!"

"Power up your hyperdrives and set heading two-six-seven!" Hera added.

"Copy that-AGH!"

"We lost Escort One!" Said a pilot just before they retreated into hyperspace

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _INTEGRITY_ ***

"Agent Kallus, the targets have escaped into hyperspace," said the Captain in charge of the _Arquitens_ -class light cruisers. "Should we pursue, sir?"

"Negative, Commodore," Kallus replied via comlink. "We have strict orders to maintain the blockade, nothing else. Recall all fighters and send the casualty reports to my datapad, they'll be back."

"You heard the Bureau man, boys and girls," Commander Astraal Soot, Captain of _Integrity_ , said. A Rutian Twi'lek hailing from Coruscant, as an Ensign Soot had lost both her lekku defending a freighter she was assigned to from Black Sun pirates. One of Count Vader's chief lieutenants, she had risen through the ranks and was one of the best light cruiser skippers in the Outer Rim.

Kallus proceed to contact the Lieutenant Grand Moff via the HoloNet. "Gimme a sitrep, Agent Kallus," the brother of Lord Vader said.

Appreciating his superior getting right to business, the ISB Major General replied and said, "My lord, the rebel terrorists have tried and failed to break the blockade. The Governor of Ibaar reports that the local insurgents have been successfully isolated and will soon fall. We've lost TIE fighters, yes, but the rebels lost a cargo transport as well as some of their own fighters."

Count Chad Vader nodded. "Good work, General. Amateurs study tactics, professionals study logistics. Foolish measures such as propping up the Ibaarian terrorists will only deplete the rebels' resources further."

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF _PHOENIX HOME_ ***

Kanan shook his head. "Sorry for your losses, Lieutenant Commander."

The officer shook his head and slammed his fist into the holotank. "With all due respect, Colonel," he said, "this is why I was opposed to this mission. We've lost valuable fighters, a valuable transport, and even more valuable people-for what, exactly?"

"So people can survive!" His wife snapped.

The Lieutenant Commander glared at Hera. "Ma'am, this is war. Everything we spend on the Ibaarians drains our supplies. The transport lost can now no longer transport material, ammunition, weapons, or troops. How is our cause advanced exactly? We're fighting for a better future, Captain Syndulla."

"That future needs people alive to enjoy it!"

"Enough!" Ackbar cut in. Kanan was grateful that the Mon Calamari intervened. "There are both practical and ethical reasons for this mission. Not only is it the moral option to show charity to the Ibaarians, but by enabling them to survive to fight another day instead of leaving them to starve and surrender they are able to resist the Empire. As a result, we will drain Imperial resources and keep them spread thin this way."

Colonel Subu's holographic form frowned; not all the rebel COs were on _Phoenix Home_ to avoid decapitating the chain of command if she went down. "I'm no swabbie, Commodore, but this doesn't look good. With all due respect, sir, I severely doubt the fleet can break this blockade."

"Any solutions?" Her husband, Commander Erik H'Artman, asked.

Rex cleared his throat. "I've been in contact with an engineer who has no love for the Empire and who claims to have built a prototype heavy assault starfighter, one that should be capable of breaking this blockade."

The man once known as Caleb Dume frowned. "What's the catch, Rex?"

"Shipmaster Quarrie will only discuss his ship in person on the planet Shantipole," the clone said.

"Shantipole?" H'Artman repeated.

"Damn, this guy's obviously nuts," said one of the transport commanders, a Lieutenant (Junior Grade). "Every pilot in the galaxy and their mother, including the Imps, knows Shantipole's a one-way trip."

"Hera can go," Kanan said.

"What?" Said his Twi'lek love. "Kanan, after what happened to the fleet, they need me now more than ever. I have to need the next run."

"Yeah, we need to help Ibaar," he replied. "But the solution to the blockade is something neither you nor Kallus can see."

"We're talking in riddles now?"

He sighed. "Want it in Basic, Hera?" Kanan said, managing to keep his voice low. "We can't beat this blockade with what we have right now. What we need is that prototype and the best pilot we have flying it."

"I agree," Ackbar said. "Captain Syndulla, that fighter is our best chance."

Hera nodded. "Alright, I'll take Sabine, Diana, and Zeb. We'll go meet the hermit scientist."

Kanan smiled. "Sounds like a great plan. May the Force be with you."

"And you."

Immediately afterwards, Kanan watched as _Phantom_ flew away only for Ezra to tap him on his shoulder.

"So," Ezra said in a cocky tone, "I guess that makes me co-pilot."

Chopper, unsurprisingly, argued with the teenage boy. "I called it! I'm in the chair! I'm co-pilot!"

"You two are both co-irritants!" Kanan snapped. "Chop, get the hyperdrive ready. We gotta go pick up the rest of the supplies."

"Wait, what?" Ezra questioned. "Shouldn't we just use the two remaining transports from the logistics cell? They can carry more food and we can split it between both of them so at least one gets past the blockade."

Kanan shook his head. " _Ghost_ is smaller and faster, so we stand a better chance of survival."

"But we'll be the Empire's primary target!"

"When have we not?"

 ***CUT TO: _PHANTOM_ ***

Ensign Diana Merrik frowned. "Ma'am, I thought I was in charge of piloting _Phantom_ ," she said sourly.

Hera shook her head. "Diana, this is gonna be difficult even for an experienced pilot," she explained. "Please let me fly us in."

The Concordian complied and engaged the auto-pilot before getting up, grabbing her carbine as she did so. "If you say so, Captain Syndulla."

"Hey," Sabine asked, "why exactly is Shantipole on every pilot's avoid-at-all-costs list?"

"Upper atmosphere makes flying a little...tricky," the Captain of _Ghost_ said.

"What kind of tricky?" Zeb asked.

"Tricky as in it won't be pleasant, so strap in. Atmospheric reentry in t-minus thirty seconds."

As expected, the landing was...difficult. Hera and her three subordinates found themselves at the feet of a short Mon Calamari man.

"Who are you people?" He asked.

Hera got to her feet. "You're Doctor Quarrie, right? I'm Captain Hera Syndulla of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Lieutenant Colonel Rex sent us, we're here for the prototype."

"Oh, I am Quarrie," the Mon Calamari said. "Follow me, I don't get much visitors out here-most of them crash and die. My droid BeeGee work on repairs for your ship."

"Thank you, Doctor," said Hera gratefully.

Diana shook her head. "With all due respect, Doc," she said, "are you hiding from assassins? Because this place is very unfriendly for ships."

"If a ship can survive here," Quarrie said, "it can survive in space. Plus even the Empire won't poke around here, girlie."

" _GIRLIE?!_ "

Hera put a restraining hand on Diana's shoulder. "Doctor Quarrie, please try to...avoid saying that."

The engineer shrugged and uttered an apology before he opened the door to the hangar, showing off the prototype.

"Wow," Zeb snarked. "This thing upside down?"

"Looks like it's been through a trash compactor," Sabine added.

Hera thought it was exotic instead, but before she could verbally reprimand the two Diana said, "You may not know how to speak to a Mandalorian woman, Doctor, but this ship is definitely unique. What can we expect?"

"Laser cannons, proton torpedoes, and ion cannons for armament," Quarrie said. "Fast, agile, well-shielded, and she has a narrow attack profile. This here is one of my most advanced designs. And I didn't know you were a Mandalorian, young one. Normally your people wear plates and a different style of helmet. Oh, and I call her _Blade Wing_."

"Looks like it's just what we need," Hera told him. "The fleet could use this."

Quarrie frowned. "Why should I let you fly her, my dear?"

"Who else, sir?"

The Mon Calamari stroked his chin. "Why are you so determined to fly my ship, Captain?"

Hera remembered her childhood. "When I was a little girl, Ryloth was invaded. My homeworld was devastated, my mother was killed. I didn't want that to happen to anyone and I dreamed of doing heroic things like the clones who fought in defense of my people."

"So you left your family to fly?"

"We all have to make sacrifices if we want freedom. Now I use my ability to fly to help others."

Quarrie nodded. "Alright, we've wasted enough time talking. There are people in need of help and my ship needs a pilot."

Sabine was glad to see that Quarrie had finally allowed Hera to test his ship. Zeb shook his head and snarked, "You're lucky to have her as your pilot."

"Doc, how many times have you flown her?" Sabine asked, genuinely curious.

"Me?" The Mon Cal said. "Oh, never. I don't fly, it's too dangerous. Theoretically, however, it should fly."

"Theoretically?" Sabine, Zeb, and even Diana said at once.

Quarrie actually chuckled. "Better to be down here wishing I was up there than up there crashing back down here."

Zeb snarled, "If she crashes, I'll toss you over the side and see how well you fly!" Sabine kept him from beating the engineer, but she was tempted herself.

The _Blade Wing_ rose into the air on its repulsorlifts and moved forward before dropping down.

"HERA!" Both Zeb and Sabine yelled as they ran towards the end of the landing pad. Quarrie and Diana remained where they were, but both were clearly shocked, the younger Mandalorian noted.

Suddenly the Twi'lek woman's craft rose into the air then locked its S-foils into attack position.

"AWESOME!"

"YEAH!"

Hera smiled to herself as she flew _Blade Wing_. "Alright," she said, "let's see what you can do."

Hera flew vertically and increased her altitude by doing so. "Definitely not a freighter."

The Twi'lek pilot noted that no matter what she did with the fighter, the cockpit remained stationary. _Must be the gyro-stabilization system Quarrie mentioned._

" _Kandosii_ , Captain Syndulla," Diana said via comm. "Nice flying."

"Thank you, Diana." Hera was more grateful that the young officer was finally warming up to the rest of Spectre Team, even if she was still abrasive and distant. "Standing by to commence weapons test, Doctor Quarrie."

"You may fire when ready," Quarrie said in reply.

Hera depressed the trigger and opened fire on one of the wrecks. "Kinda was hoping this bird packed more of a punch, Doctor."

"Have you pulled the big lever on the right, Captain?" He asked.

"Actually, no. Why?"

"Try again." She did as he asked and didn't regret it, for the ship's laser cannons fired and their output merged into one powerful beam. The result was impressive, to say the least.

Hera landed _Blade Wing_ and shook hands with Quarrie. "This ship's got the right weapons, Doctor, but I think the targeting system could use some work."

"I got some ideas," Sabine suggested helpfully.

"This is my ship, young one," Quarrie chided. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

"Never get between a Mandalorian and a weapons package."

Diana: "I'm a Mandalorian as well, Lance Corporal. However, in light of myself being an actual pilot and Doctor Quarrie being an engineer, we'll have to supervise your modifications, junior enlisted scum."

BG interrupted and beeped at them.

"It's Kanan," Hera stated. "He'll want to hear about our success."

 ***CUT TO: COCKPIT OF _GHOST_ ***

"It has the speed, maneuverability, and firepower we need," Hera told him.

"That's great news, Hera," Kanan responded.

"Kanan, it's time to go," Ezra said.

"What's happening?" His wife asked as the Z-95s and transports jumped into hyperspace.

"The Ibaarians contacted us," said Kanan. "They're at their breaking point, so we're initiating the second attack now. Unfortunately, since Phoenix Fleet's been ordered to escort a supply convoy, we're on our own."

 ***CUT TO: SHANTIPOLE***

"We gotta get moving, now," Hera ordered. "They're going to commence the second attack on the blockade."

"Well, here's the thing, Hera," Sabine said, noticeably gloomy. "The energy drain from the multi-cannon firing system not only depleted the hypermatter siphon capacitors but outright rendered them unable to recharge."

"In Basic, please," Zeb stated.

Diana groaned and said, "Weapons work, but we can't go faster-than-light, _di'kut_."

"Well, that has been a problem," Quarrie admitted.

"It's _been_ a problem?" Hera asked. "You mean you knew about this?!"

The Mon Calamari shook his head. "What did you expect, perfection? By the Force, no mortal being can create something perfect. Besides, it's a prototype, so it's natural to have problems. For instance, I don't like this paint job very much."

Zeb growled and grabbed the scientist. "I oughta toss you over and see how well you fly!"

"Garazeb Orrelios, put him down! Now!"

Quarrie pointed directly at _Phantom_. "Turns out I have an immediate solution, which would be more expedient than trying to replace the siphon capacitors. During repairs, I installed a spare hyperdrive on your ship."

"You what?"

The engineer sighed. "I don't like seeing ships that can't fly. Now your ship can fly both farther and faster."

"You beautiful, crazy Mon Calamari!" Hugging him, Hera said, "That's the solution we need."

"Wait, what?" Quarrie asked.

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _INTEGRITY_ ***

"Sir, ma'am, we got contacts dropping out of hyperspace."

Captain Soot nodded. "Looks like you were right, Agent Kallus."

"Indeed," he replied. "Sensor, scan the rebel ships to determine which one's carrying the cargo. The one with the supplies will be our primary target."

"Aye, sir."

Kanan took a deep breath. "Transport Two, we'll follow your lead. Hopefully we can get past these bucketheads and make a run for the surface," he said.

"Whose bright idea was this again?"

Sensor operator: "General, it appears that the Corellian freighter is the supply transport."

Kallus smiled. "Looks like we'll be able to kill two birds with one stone. All ships, concentrate all firepower on the VCX vessel known as _Ghost_."

"Rex, keep those TIEs off our backs!"

"Working on it!" Said the clone, who had volunteered to serve as a gunner for the mission.

Struggling to evade fire, Kanan grunted and said, "Those cruisers are closing the gap!"

"We're cut off!" His Padawan said.

Kanan: "I'm gonna swing around and try from another direction."

Suddenly the Colonel felt a familiar presence in the Force; not a Force-sensitive of any affiliation, but his wife-a woman who he now knew would save the day.

"Stay on course, Spectre One."

Having used _Phantom_ as an improvised hyperdrive ring (similar to the Jedi starfighters from the Clone Wars), Hera detached and moved to engage the _Arquitens_ -class light cruiser blocking her husband's approach. "Sabine, we've got one shot at this," she said.

"Then it's a good thing you trust me."

Blade Wing moved into position. "All units," Hera warned via comm, "get clear. I repeat, give us some room. Transports, stand by to break off as soon as _Ghost_ gets an opening."

Captain Soot blinked, not believing her eyes. "A single fighter is taking on a light cruiser? This isn't possible!"

"Sabine, now!"

Kallus could only stare in shock as the _Arquitens_ -class light cruiser carrying the Commodore subordinate to him was taken down in one shot. "How can one ship possess that kind of firepower?!"

"Releasing supplies now," Kanan told their Ibaarian contact as Chopper dropped the crates.

"We're recovering the drop now!" Said the other rebel. "Thank you, Phoenix Fleet! You've saved us, you've saved all of us! Now we can continue to live free instead of having to choose between starvation or surrender!"

"You're welcome, my friend."

Kallus composed himself once the rebels had retreated; he had failed his objective.

"What are your orders, sir?" Soot asked.

"Please get me everything you can on that fighter, Captain," he said. "I want every scrap of sensor data-its radar profile, its thermal signature, a damn visual of the thing."

"Right away, Agent Kallus."

Moving to contact Count Vader, the ISB Major General was surprised to see the man's chief aide, Chief Inquisitor Raana Tano, answer him. "What is it, Kallus?"

He swallowed; if Kallus would die, the loyal Imperial would face his death with dignity. "My lady, I regret to inform you that the blockade was broken by the rebels. I take full responsibility for this incident, for I was in charge of keeping the terrorists from aiding their fellow traitors."

The Togruta woman looked him in the eye. "Thank you for your honesty, Kallus. But I feel there is more you have to tell me."

"Baroness Tano," Kallus continued, "a rebel fighter of unknown design destroyed one of the _Arquiten_ -class ships. _In one shot._ "

She groaned. "Okay, either that class really is a complete waste of creds or that fighter's really good." Baroness Tano shook her head. "Either way, thank the Force we're replacing those stupid things with _Carrack_ -class light cruisers and _Assassin_ -class corvettes whenever possible. Also, send all available data on that craft over ASAP."

 ***CUT TO: QUARANTINE WORLD III***

Doctor Aphra had an objective; get in, get the Triple-Zero personality matrix, then get out.

"Surveillance bypassed," she told herself. "As expected, automated blasters. Now to see if it's safe to walk from here to the safe."

The scientist took out a handful of microdroid dust and blew the miniature automatons, revealing multiple security lasers.

"Just as I predicted," Aphra snarked as she crawled to the safe and opened it; that actually took more time than it did to move to the safe simply because the rogue woman took care not to trip any alarms.

"Hello there." As expected, the personality matrix was stored right where it had been confined to for hundreds for years. "You look wonderful this evening."

Pocketing the storage device, Aphra tried but ultimately failed to avoid setting off one of the lasers. "Oh, son of a-."

The automated blasters opened fire.

"-BITCH!" She yelled as Aphra fled the room.

Finally making it to the hangar, Aphra smirked at having gotten away.

"Doctor Aphra!"

 _Kark me..._

"You are an irresponsible and troublesome woman."

"You working here, Xane?" Aphra asked as she handed over her blaster and the matrix to the curator and his guards before being cuffed and forced to her knees at gunpoint. "Am I completely unsurprised by this."

"I'm equally unsurprised to see you committing burglary," the Kallidahin said. "There's a reason the Triple-Zero personality matrix has been quarantined for _centuries_."

"Yes!" Aphra snapped. "And the reason is because small minded people like you want to hide it in storage or a museum! It should be in an armory!"

"And you should be in prison, _again_ ," said Xane. "Maybe you'll end up with an unpleasant cellmate and resolve to be a law-abiding and productive citizen."

"Curator Utai Xane," said one of his droids, "incoming TIE fighter."

A TIE Aphra was never seen before landed in the hangar. A figure clad in black and over two meters tall exited the fighter.

"Oh, _shit_ ," she commented.

"Lord Vader," said Xane, "this is a quarantined world. Treaties clearly state that-."

Vader simply ignited his lightsaber, the blade going right through the Kallidahin's head.

Aphra simply watched in a mixture of fascination and horror as the feared Imperial enforcer cut down the droids.

"Doctor Aphra."

 _Fuck, he's talking to_ me _._ "Yes, Lord Vader?"

"I have need of you."

 **ME: Quick question: Should I adapt "Blood Sisters" or not?**

 **This chapter is dedicated to the victims of the Holodomor, a Soviet man-made famine that killed 2.5-7.5 million Ukrainians (appropriately enough considering the plot). Like the Third Reich, the Soviet Union was a blight upon humanity and we should thank God it's gone.**

 **The Force Awakens was an awesome movie, while Hard Contact and Triple Zero were awesome reads (the latter of which I finished on 12/18/15 after getting back from watching the movie). If any of you work at or know someone from Lucasfilm, get Karen Traviss back to writing Star Wars immediately! Given how she actually posted her outline for Imperial Commando 2, it wasn't as if our favorite Englishwoman didn't care for her fans.**

 **On another note, I decided to mention Ibaar (or at the least pro-rebel locals) as being besieged due to Reality Ensues-would even the Empire be pointlessly cruel enough to starve an entire planetary work force (and thus probably cut output even with increased quotas) just to bait the rebels? Of course, a bigger Plot Hole is how Sabine, Ezra, and Zeb were able to visit the abandoned med station without a hyperdrive two episodes earlier.**

 **Hope y'all appreciated the Mood Whiplash-i.e. it went from the rebels triumphing over the Imp blockade to Vader being a Knight of Cerebus, AKA doing his job.**

 **Theory: Ahsoka's outfit (which fits with the Skirt over Slacks theme all of her outfits have) was intended to give her a Lady of War look.** **Apparently they were influenced by the Samurai when they redesigned her for Rebels, and to me it looks like Ahsoka's wearing a dress rather than a top and skirt.**

 **Cool things about the filming of ROTS: Sir Christopher Lee (God bless him and may he rest in peace) actually got the script changed so Dooku didn't beg for his life, on the basis that he believed it was out of character for Dooku. Hayden Christensen got a Vader suit made for him and actually deliberately didn't practice walking in it so it would look like Vader was getting used to his new body. Kudos to both of them for thinking of the small things.**

 **I hope this was a good chapter; it's probably the longest I've ever written so far. I wish you all a Merry Christmas (or Happy Hanukkah if you're Jewish) and a Happy New Year. BTW, I finished this late at night, so apologies for any mistakes in advance. As always, reviews are appreciated**


	26. Blood Sisters

**ME: Time for "Blood Sisters" to be adapted. Sorry for the lack of updates, I was finishing Clone Wars Omnibus 2 and Tom Clancy's _Under Fire_. If you're wondering why I'm using the episode title, it's because I want to keep chapters named but couldn't figure something else out.**

It is true biological weapons are, objectively, impractical due to the fact they can backfire horribly and even needlessly cruel since civilians can and do die from them regardless of the intent of those who deploy bioweapons. However, I predict my nano-virus will actually reduce collateral damage. In its current form, the weapon is only lethal to Humans. This alone would reduce civilian casualties. But that it isn't nearly enough, so my team is currently working on engineering the virus so it will specifically target the Republic's slave army. It truly is the kindest thing I can realistically do for these sentients whose lives are spent to prop up a Coruscanticentric dictatorship that is nothing but a pseudo-democracy.

 **(Journal of Doctor Ovolot Qail Uthan, scientist of the Confederacy of Independent Systems)**

Sabine still wore her _beskar_ plates, but now wore a bodysuit under them.

The Navy SEAL (Space, Air and Land) platoon assigned to Phoenix Fleet had made it for her on Diana's suggestion. After taking Sabine's measurements, the group had manufactured a bodysuit using a fabricator

"Thanks, guys," she told them.

The leader of the SEALs nodded, his face masked by his helmet's visor. "You're welcome. We're still pretty pissed at you and your buddies for what happened to _Phoenix Home_ and Merrik's fellow pilots, but you guys did save the Ibaarians. I suppose we owe you one."

Diana still was distant, but Sabine had learned why the Concordian had gotten the commandos to make a bodysuit for her. "I want justice for my dead comrades, Wren," the pilot admitted. "I figured I could use allies for that, so I might as well make sure you can be more helpful. Now you'll have CBRN and vacuum protection."

In the present, Hera cleared her throat. "Alright, listen up," she began the briefing. "Sabine, I need you to locate a courier at Hangar Twenty-Two. This courier's carrying critical intelligence; we need you to transport him or her-they didn't specify gender or even species-to Havoc Outpost. Ezra, Chopper, you can accompany Sabine as backup but she's in charge. All of you need to keep a low profile. Diana, stand by to pick them up and transport them to Alderaan via _Phantom_."

Ezra raised an eyebrow. "How exactly will we know who's the courier?" he asked.

Hera tapped at her datapad. "They will respond to this code phrase: 'It's a long way to Alderaan.' Dismissed."

"Leader, huh, _Sab'ika_?" Ezra questioned. "Even though you do outrank me, I always took you for a loner."

"Not always, _Ez'ika_ ," she replied. Sabine had taught him some Mando'a to pass the time on occasion, and he did use it occasionally as they walked and Ezra talked.

Suddenly, Sabine saw something out of the corner of her eye. Taking off her helmet to make sure her visor wasn't deceiving her, Sabine saw the mark of a former ally.

"Hey, what's that?" a certain Jedi Padawan asked.

"Nothing," Sabine lied, putting her helmet back on. "It ain't my artwork, at least." _That_ was true.

The two then tried but failed to find the courier amongst the shuttle passengers.

"It's gonna be a long way back to _Ghost_ if we don't find the courier," Ezra stated.

Sabine groaned in frustration. "You said the phrase correctly, right?"

"Yeah, of course!" Ezra snapped as he sat down on a crate, clearly frustrated as well. "It's a long way to Alderaan."

Suddenly the crate Ezra was on stood up, revealing itself to be a GNK droid instead of a cargo container. "What is wrong with this thing?" Ezra asked.

"Wait, that's the courier!" Sabine realized.

Ezra proceeded to get off. "Talk about a low profile, this guy came in with the cargo payload," she continued. "Says here he's EG-dash-Eight-Six."

"Nice to meet you, EeGee," Ezra said, patting EG on his head. "Though I honestly have no idea why anyone would store critical data in your brain."

"Would you think a GNK droid could be a spy?"

"No, I guess not."

"That's too bad, kid," said a voice Sabine unfortunately recognized as a female figure jumped down. "Because I know that things are often hidden in plain sight."

"Ketsu Onyo," Sabine hissed.

A stand off began. "I say your mark, old friend."

"Friend, huh?" the bounty hunter snarked. "A bit of a generous term, Sabine, considering what happened."

"Oh, so you two know each other?" Ezra questioned.

"Still a bounty hunter, I see," Sabine said.

"Tell me ya don't miss it."

"Wait," said Ezra, "you were a bounty hunter, Sabine? That explains a lot."

"I don't think Ketsu's here for a reunion," said Sabine.

"You know me well," Ketsu replied. "I may be willing to hire out my skills for profit, but today I'm just here for the droid."

Immediately Chopper reacted, only for Ezra to calm him down. "Hey, Sabine, how do you two know each other?"

"She never told you how we broke out of the Imperial Academy back on _Manda'yaim_ together?"

"That was a long time ago, bitch!" Sabine snapped. "Before you got greedy and left me for dead."

Ketsu actually laughed at that. "You'd have been better off dead than joining this band of rebels. Remember the Separatists-or Confederates, depending on whether you were a Loyalist or not-from the Clone Wars? The history books may be slanted toward Palps's point of view, but there is one bit of truth: They lost. Just like you _di'kute_ are gonna lose this war. I didn't believe the rumors until the Imps put a bounty on you."

"You gonna collect on it?" Sabine asked, both hands gripping her pistols.

"Haven't decided on that yet, Sabine," Ketsu answered. "But I do work for the Black Sun now, and I got another job to finish."

"I can't let you do that."

As the two Mandalorians stared each other down, Ketsu did not grab her rifle but kept a hand on her sidearm.

"Hey, now," Ezra said, trying to defuse the situation. "How about we all relax before-."

"You there!" Three police officers approached. One carried a blaster shotgun, the second carried a rifle, and the third had a pistol in one hand and the leash of an akk in another.

"- _that_ happens."

"What are you doing here, citizens?" Rifle Cop asked. "This hangar is now off-limits, you need to leave immediately."

"Don't interrupt us!" Ketsu snapped, drawing her pistol and shooting the unfortunate cop in the throat. He gurgled before hitting the floor, undoubtedly fatally wounded.

"Shit!" Both Shotgun Cop and Akk Cop went for cover immediately, the latter barely keeping her akk from going after the rebels and the mercenary. "Dispatch, we have an officer down! I repeat, officer down! Get the Army down here, we need backup immediately!"

"What the hell was that for?" Ezra snapped at Ketsu. "That was a cop!"

The bounty hunter snorted. "Would you prefer if I had killed a Stormtrooper?"

"Enough!" Sabine turned to Chopper. "Get EeGee onto the shuttle, now!"

"Enjoy the Imps, then!" Ketsu said, leaping away.

Sabine undoubtedly knew that her fellow former Cadet wasn't abandoning the fight out of cowardice; she would find some way to take advantage of this.

As if one cue, ten Army troopers in gray uniforms ran into view and joined the two surviving police officers.

"Die, rebel scum!"

"Sabine, go!" Ezra said. "I'll cover you!"

"I'm not gonna leave you behind!" she snapped back.

"You think I'm gonna get overwhelmed by bucketheads? GO, DAMMIT!"

Sabine reluctantly complied and ran onto the ship. "I'm sorry," said the RX-series pilot droid, "but there are no more flights scheduled for this evening. If you contact-."

"I don't have time to buy a ticket!" She interrupted. "Chop, shut him down and take over!"

"How dare you!" The pilot droid said. "This is private property, you cannot-."

Thankfully, Chopper succeeded in shutting him off and initiating takeoff.

Having defeated the remaining troopers of the squad, Ezra promptly left and contacted Diana.

"What do you mean, the mission got complicated?" The Ensign snapped. "You were supposed to keep a low profile, _di'kut_! Now the Imps are freaking out!"

"Well..."

A couple of Stormtroopers shook their heads after the hangar was secured. "Rebel scum, upsetting the public order," one of them snapped.

"This city's crawling with malcontents," said the other. "No, scratch that. This whole damn planet is a den of vipers."

"Good thing Governor Tarkin'll restore order soon."

 ***CUT TO: STOLEN SHUTTLE***

Sabine sighed as Chopper beeped at her. "I'm sure Ezra's fine, now power up the hyperdrive and set coordinates for Havoc Outpost. We were lucky to get away so easily."

Suddenly the ship's radar warning receiver beeped; however, unlike with _Ghost_ , there were no weapons aboard the shuttle to fight off Ketsu.

"Magnetize yourselves," Sabine sighed. "We're about to be pounded."

Ion cannon rounds slammed into the unshielded vessel, disabling it.

"She's immobilized us, engines are down," the Mandalorian reported as she made sure her helmet was sealed. "Stand by, odds are she's gonna cause a hull breach right about..."

Cannon fire slammed into the hatch and broke it down.

"NOW!" Sabine yelled, grateful for both her _buy'ce's_ life support systems and the fact she was now wearing a bodysuit. Unfortunately, neither would save her from being sucked out of the shuttle and into space before Chopper could engage the unfamiliar safety features.

 _Osik..._

 ***CUT TO: _SHADOW CASTER_ ***

Ketsu Onyo viewed herself as a professional who completed her missions at all costs.

So rather than spring some overly elaborate trap, she had simply shot Sabine with a stun round then hauled her in and restrained her.

"Alright, droid," she said after contacting the stolen shuttle. "Here's my offer-your meatbag friend in exchange for your fellow _beskar'ad_."

The astromech agreed, evidently attached to Ketsu's former friend.

 _Glad to see your priorities are in order, tinnie._

She forced the handcuffed Sabine to stand up at gunpoint. "C'mon, move it-your droid agreed to a trade, I'm getting the bounty on that power droid whether you like it or not."

To Ketsu's frustration, the GNK droid stayed on the shuttle while the astromech moved as if to confront her.

"You're not giving up the courier, are you?" The bounty hunter did not expect an answer to her rhetorical question. "Not very smart sticking your neck out and risking the objective for Sabine, droid. Do you have no sense of self-preservation or at least priorities?"

"Chopper's more than just a droid, you _chakaar_!" Sabine snapped angrily. "He's a rebel and a friend! So if you want the courier, you're gonna have to take him from both of us!" As if one cue, she escaped from her binders and stood between Ketsu and the two droids.

Ketsu got her pistol ready in the event of her former partner trying anything then sighed. "Grow up, _vod'ika_. You can't be foolish enough to think your cause can actually succeed."

"Once we were like _vode_ ," said Sabine. "But we only cared about ourselves. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I forgive you."

"For what?"

"For leaving me for dead. I met people who gave me a second chance, and that's what I'm giving you."

Ketsu's eyes widened in shock. "W-what?" She sputtered. "Surely you can't be serious."

"I am serious, Ketsu. And don't call me-."

"Attention, Garel shuttle," said a Core Worlds accent. "This is the Imperial Navy, we have identified this craft as a stolen vessel. Prepare to be boarded."

"Looks like we're friends again."

Ketsu shook her head. "Not like we got much of a choice, but I'd like to live to make creds another day."

 ***CUT TO: IMPERIAL CORVETTE***

The CO of the CR92a _Assassin_ -class corvette frowned as the stolen shuttle tried to flee. "This pilfering thieve is bold but foolish. Gunners, target the cockpit of the shuttle and fire."

Remarkable enough, the other starship detached and actually did a decent job of attempting to flee before being caught by the tractor beam.

"Sir," said the sensor operator, "I'm detecting an increased amount of energy from the shuttle."

"Anyone still on board, then?" the Captain asked.

"Negative, Skipper. No life forms on infrared."

At that moment, the shuttle suddenly exploded.

"GAH!"

"Hyperdrive explosion!"

"We've lost the tractor beam!"

At that moment, the criminals escaped into hyperspace.

"Son of a bitch!" The Captain shook his head, knowing he had to handle things. "Alright, I want this reported in immediately, Comms. Operations, damage report?"

The Lieutenant coughed. "Captain, we've lost the tractor beam due to debris. No casualties reported."

Though he would have normally been grateful at losing none of his subordinates, the corvette CO was angry. The _Assassin_ -class corvette he helmed was a newly commissioned vessel, but now she had been damaged with nothing to show for it.

 ***CUT TO: _SHADOW CASTER_ ***

When Sabine awoke, she was surprised to be resting in a bed.

"Huh?" the Lance Corporal asked. "Did I die and go to the _manda_?"

"Nope."

Sabine found Ketsu standing up, her helmet and twin pistols resting on a stool.

"You could have left me for dead aboard that shuttle," she began, "taken the droids, and made a good profit. Screw it, turning me into the Empire would've gotten you good creds."

"It's only money," Ketsu replied. "Besides, the fact you forgave me-which honestly wasn't something I would do in your boots-made me feel like I had to do something. Though if it makes you feel any better, Black Sun doesn't tolerate failings, so I'll probably have to go independent."

Sabine smiled. "There's the Ketsu I know and love."

"Shut up, don't ruin this."

 **ME: A/N: No, I'm not endorsing Ketsu/Sabine. The last two sentences were for humor alone.**

 **I mentioned Ketsu worrying about her superiors offing her or whatever since, from what I know, Black Sun is NOT a pleasant employer.**

 **I had civilian police confront Ezra, Sabine, and Chopper because it would be a change from them constantly encountering troops. Granted, the lack of cops on Lothal could be a result of them being absorbed or something.**

 **I hoped this was alright, guys. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta finish Imperial Commando: 501st. If you guys know of any decent quality Legends reading material, feel free to recommend it. I haven't read everything-I haven't read many Legends books, in fact.**

 **The Navy SEALs are a reference, of course, to some of America's finest heroes. Imagine them as looking like ODSTs from Halo since they're in space.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to Yonatan Netanyahu, the only IDF fatality during Operation Entebbe and the older brother of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The PFLP, along with Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, Quds Force, Al-Qaeda, etc, can go jump off a cliff. People complain about the Israelis "committing genocide"-perhaps they should learn of the Halabja Massacre, where thousands of Kurds (who still don't have their own state, while the Arabs have more than a dozen states) were killed in one day by nerve gas. The Israeli Defense Force takes action to defend their friends and families and actually tries to minimize collateral damage, unlike the savage barbarians they fight. In light of Operation Meetinghouse, Dresden, Nagasaki, and Hiroshima, we Westerners should avoid hypocritically judging the Jewish people.**


	27. Stealth Strike

**ME: Sorry for the lack of updates, guys, I've been busy with stuff. Though I sincerely recommend _Lost Stars_ for reading material, I just got done with that recently. Even guys who hated _Aftermath_ (which hopefully will be just one bad seed Disney let slip by or something; TFA confirms that they don't screw around when it comes to the important stuff) recommend it. _Heir to the Jedi_ was also a decent canon novel.**

 **Also, it turns out that the CO of _Liberator's_ name is spelled "Erk H'Arman," not "Erik H'Artman." Sorry, I hadn't had a copy of _Jedi Trial_ for awhile. Also, guys, I finished this late at night, so I hope this is a good adaptation.**

The Inquisition is untrustworthy, my Emperor. They have a rather lax dress code rather than a uniform, which promotes far too much individuality. I suspect that the Regional Director of the Outer Rim, Jerec, is little more than an opportunist. Additionally, besides Offee it appears that many of the senior Inquisitors are dangerously loyal to Lord Vader.

 **(Sa Cuis, head of the Imperial Shadow Guard, speaking to His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Sheev Palpatine)**

Ezra had volunteered to go on a mission with Commodore Ackbar and Diana aboard _Liberator_. Besides the sailors manning the corvette that served as the flagship of Phoenix Fleet and the battalion of Marines embarked aboard, all of the SEALs had been assigned to beef up security due to the fact that they were looking for a missing rebel ship and trouble was expected.

"Hey, so the Army decided to be useful and help out, kid?" the battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Frederic West, joked while _Liberator_ lifted off the surface of Garel and headed for space.

Ezra shook his head. "First off, sir, I'll have you know that Chopper and I met Captain Ohnaka and got the power generators for the people of Rhen Var, not the Marines. Second off, Colonel West, I'm not a kid, I'm fifteen."

Diana, who had been promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade), snorted. "Personally, sir, I think Bridger's a Marine like you."

Both looked at the naval aviator. "How?" West asked. "He's in the Army, Merrik."

Diana: "Sir, with all due respect, both of your asses are riding in Navy equipment. Marines is really just an acronym that means, 'My Ass Rides In Navy Equipment, Sir.'"

As with all militaries, there were rivalries between the Alliance Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. Unlike the Imperials, however, there was no backstabbing different branches for glory or advancement. In fact, in spite of the banter between the Marines and the sailors, Ezra had noticed a sense of camaraderie between the two groups.

 _They live, fight, and die together. Both Marines and sailors went down with_ Phoenix Home _, so they have reason to mourn together as well._

"Commodore Ackbar, Captain H'Arman," said the navigator, "we'll be arriving in the Del Zennin system in t-minus two minutes."

"Well, I looked this place up," Ezra said as he stood on the bridge with Diana. "There's nothing out here."

Captain H'Arman looked at him and raised a black eyebrow.

"But," Ezra continued, "that's obviously not true, otherwise we wouldn't be looking for our missing ship."

"Kid," H'Arman sighed, "when Syndulla told me you volunteered for this mission, she assured me you could be helpful. Hopefully that's true."

"Skipper, we'll be arriving in t-minus ninety seconds," said the Lieutenant at navigation. "Helm, stand by to decelerate on my mark."

"Standing by."

Ezra frowned. "I got a bad feeling about this," he said, feeling uneasy.

Diana groaned. "You just had to say that."

"What?"

Navigator: "Decelerate in t-minus thirty, twenty-nine, twenty-eight-."

Suddenly alarms began to ring. "Sirs, the hyperdrive is initiating an emergency shutdown!" said the operations officer.

"How?!" Ezra said.

"We've run into some kind of unexpected gravity well, the safety overrides kicked in!"

"I fucking told you, Bridger!" Diana yelled as they were pulled out of hyperspace.

"Captain," said the technician at the electronic warfare station, a woman nicknamed "Jammer," "I'm detecting two-no, _three_ radar locks!"

"Battle stations, shields up!" H'Arman ordered. "Safeguard, Safeguard, Safeguard! All hands to action stations, I repeat, everyone man their stations!"

"It's a Star Destroyer!" said Ezra as a triangular ship that was undoubtedly an Imperial vessel came into view.

"No," Ackbar said, noting the four globes protruding from the hull. "That's something else, Padawan Bridger. We have to warn the Fleet." The Mon Calamari officer tapped at the comm station. " _Liberator_ to _Ghost_ , come in! We've been pulled out of hyperspace, the Empire-."

 ***CUT TO: _GHOST_ ***

An impromptu meeting of the remaining leaders of Phoenix Fleet had been called and was now taking place aboard _Ghost_ , the ship assigned to Spectre Team.

" _Liberator_ to _Ghost_ , come in!" said the voice of Commodore Ackbar. "We've been pulled out of hyperspace, the Empire-."

"The transmission was jammed," Hera began, "but still, this doesn't make any sense. You can't pull a ship out of hyperspace because you can't get a precise reading on where it will be and-assuming the hyperdrive is functioning normally, of course-it's going faster than the speed of light, preventing a tractor beam from getting a lock on it."

Sabine raised her hand. "Hera, I think this was something else. Back when I was in the Academy, the Imps and KDY were developing some new ship equipped with gravity well projectors. The idea was to use the projectors' artificial gravity to get the safety overrides to initiate an emergency shutdown of the hyperdrive, forcing targeted vessels out of hyperspace so they could be captured or destroyed."

Colonel Subu, whose husband commanded the flagship of Phoenix Fleet, spoke up. "Erk was aboard _Liberator_ , Lance Corporal. Are you saying he and his crew are dead with your friends and Commodore Ackbar?"

"I'm not sure, ma'am," Sabine said. "They could've been boarded rather than outright destroyed."

"Any idea where we can find this fancy new ship, Wren?" asked one of the corvette COs.

"Captain, assuming SOP for testing this kinda stuff hasn't changed, the testing site for the ship won't be that large. It'll probably be in the vicinity of where we lost contact with _Liberator_."

Kanan stood up. "Alright, Spectre Team, gear up. We're going in."

"Kanan," Hera said, "I got a better idea; you and Rex go to that system. Find that ship, and I bet you find Ezra and the others."

"Not Rex," Kanan groaned, shaking his head. "Why can't I take Sabine or Zeb? I actually trust both of them."

Hera: "Rex's military experience will be invaluable, plus he can also impersonate a Stormtrooper better than both Sabine and Zeb."

"Right, that's because he _is_ a Stormtrooper!"

"No, he was a clone trooper, love," Hera said, looking into his eyes. "Please, Kanan? I sent Ezra on this mission, this is the only way."

"Fine," the last Jedi who had ever seen Depa Billaba said. "We'll get them all back, even though this isn't a great idea."

Zeb chuckled. "Doesn't matter, Kanan. An officer's missus always outranks him, so Hera's at least a Rear Admiral."

 ***CUT TO: HIMS _INTERDICTOR_ ***

"Everyone, remain calm," Ackbar ordered. "Just let me do the talking."

Having decided to masquerade as civilian merchants on Ackbar's orders, the crew of _Liberator_ had not fired a single shot. Most of the Marines and sailors had been confined to their berths under guard, but the Commodore, Captain H'Arman, Colonel West, Ezra, Diana, the bridge crew, and the SEAL platoon had all been handcuffed and marched aboard the Imperial ship at gunpoint.

An officer dressed in a black uniform turned around to greet them. "Rebels? Out here searching for your missing fellow terrorists, I assume?"

The Mon Calamari leader of Phoenix Fleet stepped forward. "We are civilian sailors, registered members of the Corellian Merchants' Guild," he said. "You have seized our ship illegally, and I demand that you release us."

The officer laughed. "You are in a position to demand absolutely nothing, Commodore Ackbar."

There was a pregnant pause. "Who is this Commodore Ackbar, Captain?" H'Arman asked.

The Imperial actually laughed. "I have heard of your activities in this sector, rebel scum. And I am no mere Captain; I am Admiral Brom Titus. Captain Douglas Anderson here is the actual Captain of this fine vessel, HIMS _Interdictor_."

A man who appeared to be Anderson smiled and scanned Diana's face with a datapad. "Sir, it appears this girl is the missing daughter of Planetary Governor Merrik of Concordia."

Titus raised an eyebrow. "So we have a rogue daughter of an Imperial patriot aboard? My, this is becoming quite the catch."

Diana growled out, "Go fuck yourself, _aruetii_."

Anderson laughed. "You kiss your mother with that mouth, girl?" He then slapped her ass, to the disgust of every rebel and even a few Imperials.

Titus, thankfully, frowned. "Mind yourself, Anderson. This is a vessel of the Imperial Navy, not some cheap Rylothian brothel." He then turned to Ezra. "Who might you be, young man?"

"Jabba the Hutt," Ezra spat.

"On one hand, you are a tad small for a Hutt," Titus said. "On the other hand, I know someone else who goes by the name Jabba. Ezra Bridger, isn't it?" _Oh,_ shit. "I imagine Agent Kallus will be quite pleased to hear that you have joined us. Guards, secure them but take a blood sample from the boy first."

 ***CUT TO: _GHOST_ ***

Rex checked his pistols while Jarrus entered the room. "Look, just so we're clear, Rex, this wasn't my idea."

The clone veteran snorted. Jarrus wasn't anything like Skywalker or Tano, and it showed. "Colonel, with all _due_ respect, just try to act like a professional."

"How can I know you won't forget whose side you're on?"

"I would never be on their side or wear their junk armor! Seriously, I bet the designers never had to wear that shit."

Zeb walked up with a pair of unconscious Stormtroopers held in his hands. "Here are you disguises, gentlemen. Don't worry about the Stormies, they'll be fine without their nice white outfits."

Rex grunted after he put on the armor. "This garbage is nothing like clone armor."

"Looks a little tight on you, old man."

"Yeah?" The Lieutenant Colonel shoved a shoulder plate of Jarrus's back into place. "At least I know how to wear it!"

"Excuse me, Colonel Rex," said an elderly gentleman, Master Djinn Altis. "I regret being too old to infiltrate the Imperial Military, but I believe a spirited young girl with an artistic streak has taken the liberty of...procuring a transport for your mission."

A _Sentinel_ -class shuttle landed in view.

"How is it that the Empire keeps letting us steal these things?" Jarrus asked.

Rex smiled. "Simple-they rely on numbers instead of competence, quantity over quality. As the Seps proved, not a good idea."

 ***CUT TO: TIPOCA CITY, KAMINO***

Kallus was grateful that the medical technicians had finishing taking DNA samples from him. It was an honor to become a clone template, but the ISB officer preferred spending his time on crushing those who sought to bring about anarchy by toppling the Empire rather than donating genetic material.

"Agent Kallus, Agent Kallus!"

The Major General sighed. "What is it, Commander Wickstrom?"

"You have a call on your personal comlink, sir."

"Thank you, Commander." Jeremy Wickstrom was nothing if not a good aide for more ruthless Imperials.

"Agent Kallus," began Titus once Kallus accepted the call, " _Interdictor_ reeled in a catch of rebel terrorists who I believe you're familiar with. One is Commodore Gial Ackbar and a young boy with blue hair who calls himself Jabba."

"You have Ezra Bridger?" The ISB officer would have to inform Count Chad Vader and his wife, Countess Serra Vader. "Excellent work, Admiral! Lock him in a secure cell and have a full platoon guard him."

"A full platoon? He is merely a child, General Kallus."

"I warn you," Kallus said, "do not underestimate Padawan Bridger. He has escaped multiple times, Admiral."

Titus: "I'm certain that the Imperial Navy is more than a match for one juvenile delinquent, whatever he calls himself."

"We shall see, Admiral. Just keep him secure for now, I'll head to your position to take him into custody. Kallus out."

 ***CUT TO: HANGAR BAY, HIMS _INTERDICTOR_ ***

"This must be just like old times," Kanan said.

Rex grunted. "Just follow my lead and you'll be okay."

"No, you follow _my_ lead."

As expected, a pair of guards-one male, the other female-stopped the rebel trio before they could get out of the hangar. "Command says you need to make your repairs and depart," said the man.

"We need to get to Maintenance," Kanan told him.

"You need to get to Maintenance," he replied, mind tricked.

"Wait, what?" said the female guard, evidently suspicious.

Kanan: "We can go on our way."

"They can go on our way," she said.

"Not bad," Rex said, "but I've seen better."

"Guess I'll have to try on you sometime, then," Kanan responded. "Chopper, plug in and find Ezra and the crew."

The disguised astromech complied and beeped out that they were transferring Ezra to a secure cell. "Dammit, they know who he is. We gotta move."

They moved into a turbolift, a female Zeltron technician with her hair tied back in a bun joining the three rebels just before the doors closed.

"Your armor appears to be a little tight, trooper."

Kanan chuckled at Rex's expense. "And that's why I'm taking MC-One-One-Seven here to, uh, Two-Five-Seven."

"The commissary?" the Zeltron tech laughed. "That's the last place I'd take him."

Rex growled after she left. "I'll tighten your face, you little-."

 ***CUT TO: BRIG, HIMS _INTERDICTOR_ ***

A red-skinned Chagrian woman in a black uniform marched in front of Ezra, while two Navy troopers were right behind him.

"Move along, rebel," said one of the troopers, whom Ezra had designated as Buckethead One in his mind.

"Hey, just so you guys know," Ezra said, "when I escape, I'll try to avoid killing any of you."

"That's great, kid," said the Chagrian officer, who he now thought of as Blackshirt, as she opened the door to a cell. "I feel so safe."

"You shouldn't."

Using the Force, Ezra activated his lightsaber, which rested on the officer's belt.

"Gah!"

Taking advantage of the chaos, Ezra dodged the blaster bolts fired by the troopers, kicked the officer in the groin, and grabbed his lightsaber. He deflected a round into Buckethead One's right forearm, causing him to scream in pain and drop his rifle. The Padawan then sliced off the barrel of Buckethead Two's E-11, causing the trooper to drop his ruined weapon and put his hands up.

The officer, having gotten off the ground, aimed her pistol and fired. However, Ezra not only deflected the particle beams but disabled the blaster.

"Please don't kill me!" the Chagrian begged. "Please, I have a wife and kids!"

"I kept my word," Ezra said calmly. "You're all fine."

The three Imperials were then locked in their cell just as two Stormtroopers came around the corner. Ezra, guessing they had responded to the firefight, opened fire and stunned both of them.

Then a familiar astromech came around.

"Oh, _fuck_ ," Ezra moaned.

Kanan groaned after Ezra removed his helmet. "Ugh, what happened?"

Immediately Chopper played a recording of him and Rex being stunned.

" _You shot us?!_ "

"You two were dressed like Stormtroopers!"

Rex snorted. "See? I told you this gear was useless!"

"You've told me a lot of-."

"ENOUGH!" Ezra snapped. "By the Force, the two of you argue worse than an old married couple or politicians!"

"HEY!" both Kanan and Rex said in unison.

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _INTERDICTOR_ ***

"Sir," Anderson said, "there's been a breach in the brig. Prisoner Bridger has escaped, current location unknown."

Titus frowned. The blond man did not like the CO of his flagship, but he had bigger fish to fry. "Secure the vessel, Captain. Lock all levels down and secure the hangar bays, alert the guards aboard the captured corvette."

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"Oh, and Captain?" Titus said. "Order our security personnel to eliminate the boy on sight, I would hate to prove Agent Kallus right."

"With pleasure, sir!"

 _What a kiss-ass._

 ***CUT TO: BRIG OF HIMS _INTERDICTOR_ ***

"Attention all units, do not attempt recapture of Target Alpha. Repeat, the prisoner known as Ezra Bridger, AKA 'Jabba,' is to be terminated with extreme prejudice."

"I got this one," Rex said, though he was worried about Ezra. _Force, these Imps aren't fucking around._

"We don't have time for one of your long winded bluffs," Jarrus responded.

"Then what's your plan, Colonel?" he asked.

"This!" Kanan said, shooting a Stormtrooper.

A firefight began, ending with nine more Stormtroopers (including a medic that had shot first and thus had sacrificed her protections under the Coruscant Conventions) on the ground, all of whom were at best incapacitated.

"So much for stealth!"

"Come on, they already know we're here!"

 ***CUT TO: GRAVITY WELL PROJECTOR CONTROL ROOM, HIMS _INTERDICTOR_ ***

"There's the reactor core for the gravity weapon," Ezra said.

Chopper beeped, _I got a plan._

"You got a plan?"

 _You need to be the bait._

"Of course. Well, they normally ignore droids anyway."

There were a few technicians in light gray jumpsuits and HUD glasses. Ezra just moved in and attracted their attention.

"Shit, intruder! Open fire!"

Ezra deflected their blaster bolts quite easily, and didn't really have to work that hard to do so. Rex had taught him that pistols were less accurate than carbines and rifles, and the fact these technicians weren't combat soldiers made them worse shots than even your average Stormtrooper.

Chopper, taking advantage of the fact Ezra was distracting the other meatbags, plugged in and disabled the gravity.

"CHOPPER, THIS WASN'T PART OF THE PLAN!"

Amused at the reaction of the Padawan, Chopper waited for the right moment (after leaving a little surprise for the Imperials, of course) and reengaged the artificial gravity, sending the remaining Imps to their doom. He then ran over Ezra's hand.

"OW! YOU MECHANICAL SOCIOPATH!"

 _Screw you, meatbag,_ Chopper replied via beeps. _Your logic is flawed._

 ***CUT TO: BRIG OF HIMS _INTERDICTOR_ ***

"Never thought I'd make it this far with you as a partner," Kanan snarked to a clone he had grown to...tolerate

"Well, you're not the first Jedi I've fought beside," Rex replied.

"But probably the last."

"And the worst one at shooting."

Kanan snorted. "Says the guy who can't shoot for shit," he said. "Damn, Rex, you really do shoot like a Stormtrooper."

"Ugh, this helmet!" Rex bitched as Kanan opened the cell doors, having located the imprisoned rebels with the Force.

"Diana, we gotta get a move on," he said after taking off his helmet and handing the young blonde woman his rifle. "Oh, and the safety's on."

"Colonel Jarrus, they sent Ezra to a separate cell! We have to find him, no one gets left behind!" Diana said.

"Ezra's doing fine, kid," said Kanan."

"You mean he escaped?" asked Commodore Ackbar. "On his own?"

"Yeah, he tends to do that!"

To the credit of Rex, he had succeeded in taking out the remaining Stormtroopers and security personnel.

"Let's go!"

"Kanan," Ezra said via comlink, "we're headed back now. Where are you?"

"Headed back to Sato's ship," Kanan responded.

"Roger that."

"Ugh, I'm too old for all this running!" Rex said. "Get these men out of here, Jarrus, I'll hold them off!"

"Stop trying to impress me!" Kanan snapped, more annoyed at Rex's plan than being addressed by his last name.

"I'm not trying to impress you, now go!"

Mounting a vibro-bayonet on his rifle, Rex fatally stabbed one Stormtrooper in the neck before being shot by a stun round.

 ***BRIDGE OF HIMS _INTERDICTOR_ ***

Titus smiled when the prisoner was brought in.

"Well, what do we have here," the Admiral said. "A clone-more specifically, an original Jango Fett clone grown on Kamino."

The prisoner snorted. "You're a bright one, pal," said the clone. "I may not be as young as your Spaarti goons, mongrel, but I make up for it in being capable of hitting a stationary target."

"I had your number scanned, trooper. Seven-Five-Six-Seven...Captain Rex of Torrent Company, a unit of the famed Five Hundred and First Legion. You were a hero once, Captain. You and your brothers brought peace to the galaxy. Why oh why did you voluntarily lower yourself to fight with the filthy terrorists of an anti-Imperial insurgency? Where is your loyalty?"

"MY loyalty was to the Republic," Rex all but spat, "not your Empire."

"I serve the New Order, Captain. Something your fellow soldiers established, and for that they have been rewarded for their selfless devotion to the Imperial citizenry. Corporal, take off your helmet."

A Stormtrooper on the bridge removed his helmet, revealing a face that resembled Rex's but looked twenty-five or so at most.

"Captain, unlike the Jedi who would have you waste away and die of old age after only living for thirty or so years, His Imperial Majesty the Great Uniter rewarded the original Kaminoan clones with treatment for their accelerated aging. Corporal, when were you born?"

Corporal: "Twenty-five years ago, sir. I was born ten years prior to the Declaration of a New Order."

Titus smiled. "Surrender your compatriots, Captain, and I will not only do everything to ensure you are pardoned, but receive treatment for your accelerated aging and are allowed to join the Stormtrooper Corps. You could serve with pride again and wear white armor once more!"

Rex actually laughed. "I really hate _this_ armor, Admiral. Also, I'd rather live fifty years on my terms than a hundred on Palps's."

"How unfortunate, because you are going to die in that armor."

 ***CUT TO: CORRIDOR ABOARD HIMS _INTERDICTOR_ ***

"We sabotaged the gravity weapon," Ezra told Rex, who had felt Rex's pain in the Force. "Let's go, Kanan!"

"Get Sato and his crew back to _Liberator_!" responded Kanan.

"Wait, what?! Where are you going?"

"I gotta go get my friend," Kanan said, picking up a dropped Stormtrooper blaster.

"Wait, friend?!" Ezra asked.

"Bridger, we can't get through!" West said. "Where's Jarrus going?!"

"Don't worry, sir. I got this."

"You got this?" Ackbar asked.

The situation did not look well for the rebel sailors. One of the helmsman had been shot and killed, and a SEAL had taken a blaster round to the chest and was now being treated.

Ezra deflected a round into a Stormtrooper on the left, knocking him out, before Force pushing the one on the right into the wall.

"Hey, guys!" he yelled before charing. "Let's kick some ass!"

"Come on!" the Commodore of Phoenix Fleet said. "He's got this!"

The crew and SEALs of _Liberator_ charged behind Ezra. Surprised by the sheer audacity of the charge, the Imperials were overwhelmed.

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _INTERDICTOR_ ***

"It's over, Captain," an officer in a black uniform said smugly. "Just recant and I will now give you a quick and painless death in return."

"How generous of you," Kanan snarked, throwing off his helmet and shooting the torture droid.

"Stop them!"

Two Stormtroopers opened fire, but Kanan deflected their shots back at them. A officer in a gray uniform-it appeared that, judging by his rank insignia, that he was a Captain-drew a pistol and fired, only to be hit by a deflected round right between the eyes while Rex knocked out the remaining Stormtrooper.

Like all bullies when faced with a stronger opposing force, the coward in black fled the room.

"Glad to know you care, sir," Rex said.

"Don't ruin this."

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF _LIBERATOR_ ***

"Where are Jarrus and Rex?" Ackbar asked. They had taken the corvette back, killing or subduing any Imperials aboard. Marines now guarded the airlocks, ready to hold off the Stormtroopers until Liberator could escape.

Ezra: "Kanan said they're fleeing in an escape pod, we gotta go."

"Agreed," H'Arman said. "Helm, disengage. Nav, I want us ready to leave five minutes ago."

Thankfully, they were able to recover Kanan and Rex's pod.

"Helm, now!" Ackbar ordered. "Initiate jump!"

Diana, having taken over for the dead helmsman, pulled the lever to get them to go FTL...only for the hyperdrive to initiate an emergency shutdown.

"We are caught! Again!"

"Chopper, I thought you sabotaged the weapon!"

 _Wait for it..._

"What do you mean wait for it?!"

Twenty seconds later, the sensor operator said, "Sirs, looks like the weapon malfunctioned. It's drawing everything in."

"Including us!"

The _Assassin_ -class corvette and the _Carrack_ -class light cruiser crashed into the bigger ship, and the damn thing actually exploded.

Cheers erupted throughout the ship. "Colonel Jarrus, sir," H'Arman said, "my crew and I owe you three a debt of gratitude."

"There was getting you guys ambushed on accident," Kanan said modestly. "Why don't we just have a clean slate for everyone? Then we all win."

"I'll take a drink," Rex chuckled. "I wasn't with you guys back then."

"I'll get you a drink myself, Rex," Kanan said, finally returning the clone's salute.

 ***CUT TO: CABIN ABOARD HIMS _INTEGRITY_ ***

Serra rested her head on Chad's chest, grateful for all she had.

 _I'm now a mother, a wife, and second-in-command of the Inquisition. I've been able to make a difference._

There was a knock at the door. "Count Vader," said Sergeant Boss, the leader of Delta Squad, Second Platoon, Alpha Company, First Battalion, Imperial Command Special Unit (501st), "we will be exiting hyperspace in about half an hour."

"Thank you, Sergeant," she answered for her husband. "Dismissed."

Boss didn't respond, probably not wanting to risk invoking her wrath in case he thought he had pissed her off. Not that Serra cared for him trying to address Chad instead of her, he was Tarkin's second-in-command.

"At least we had fun on the way here," Chad grunted as he got up.

"Yeah," said Serra, "it was fun."

The two promptly showered and dressed. Chad wore a standard olive gray Imperial officer uniform, while Serra dressed in an all-black outfit that consisted of a t-shirt, trousers, a miniskirt worn over said trousers, and boots.

Getting to the bridge of _Integrity_ , they saw the cruiser exit hyperspace. In view was a debris field.

There was a pregnant pause before Captain Soot expressed her thoughts eloquently: "Fuck."

Escape pods were detected, one of which was discovered to have Admiral Titus aboard.

Serra cursed as they retrieved the survivors. Between she, Chad, and Kallus, it seemed highly unlikely Bridger could've escaped. Not leaving things to chance, a cryonics chamber and Delta Squad had accompanied.

 _Yet it's all for naught since Titus is an ass. An unbelievably gigantic ass._

"Admiral," Kallus said. "Had some problems with Boy Wonder, I see."

"Well, I, uh..."

"Titus," Chad cut him off, "we would not have retrieved you from an escape pod if you had handled things with anything vaguely resembling competence. Now where is that perverted subordinate of yours, Captain Anderson?"

"Unfortunately, Count," Titus said, "he was killed by a man that was identified as General Billaba's Padawan during the last days of the Clone Wars."

"A pity," Serra snarked. "That means I have to settle for just you."

She kicked him in the groin, sending the blond man to the ground groaning in pain.

"You have failed the Empire," Chad said, activating his lightsaber and decapitating Titus.

The Twi'lek CO of _Integrity_ groaned. "Who's gonna clean this up, my lord?"

"Commander Wickstrom?"

"Yes, Count Vader?!"

 **ME: A/N: One thing is for certain; Admiral Brom Titus is quite possibly the _least_ subtle Imperial that has appeared in Rebels so far (which is saying something considering both Palpatine and Vader have shown up, even if the former was "only" a voice, and for the majority of the first season the primary antagonists were called "the Inquisitor" and "Agent Kallus"). Seriously, Titus wears a black uniform rather than the standard gray one worn by Imperial officers (which immediately tipped me off when I watched "Stealth Strike" via Watch Cartoon Online, I believe), has blond hair and blue eyes (whereas Tua had brown eyes, while Kallus has light brown hair and eyes; if you guys pay attention, you'd notice that the main officers seen in Rebels-Konstantine, Aresko, Grint, Lyste, Rudor-all have dark hair and blue eyes. Granted, blond Imperials with blue eyes would have the subtlety of a brick aimed at our faces, even if the Imperial flag is red, white, and black), planned to torture Rex to death (fortunately for the younger audience, like Leia Rex doesn't look any worse for wear after being tortured; seriously, Leia's white outfit wasn't stained at all in ANH), and was willing to kill Ezra in spite of dismissing him as a mere child beforehand simply to avoid embarrassing himself. Seriously, at least Aresko looked impressed when he thought Ezra was taking on the rebels by himself, and both he and Grint did end up rushing towards danger in that episode rather than simply pulling back to a command center. Titus, in contrast...well, he's Titus. Seriously, give the guy a German accent and he wouldn't be out of place in a World War Two movie.**

 **I had the majority of the ship's crew detained aboard _Liberator_ because I was worried about space concerns (i.e. How many prisoners _Interdictor's_ brig could hold). Besides, Titus isn't exactly the brightest light on the Christmas tree, and it's not as if the sailors and Marines were having a fun time. They were under guard. Special thanks to Ahsokafanboy1138 for his assistance in the writing of this chapter.**

 **I decided to make the Interdictor in _Stealth Strike_ a...well, _Interdictor_ -class Star Destroyer...because it apparently was manufactured canonically by KDY, and apparently they made an Interdictor variant of the ISDs.**

 **I made Kallus a clone template because he's an elite ISB agent, the type of person they'd want donating genes to the Empire.**

 **I may not have watched every Chad Vader episode, but Jeremy is-well, Jeremy.**

 **Jammer is a reference to the character from Killzone 3. Having seen the cutscenes...GLORY TO THE HELGHAST!**

 **Seriously, the ISA protagonists have fallen victim to Helmets are Hardly Heroic, while the Helghast have a cool, unique, intimidating look. Though at least Jammer's Waif-Fu, unlike normal Hollywood BS, turned out to be realistically ineffective.**

 **I had the Navy troopers escort Ezra because I wanted Imperial Mooks other than Stormtroopers. BTW, besides needing less protection than Stormies, do y'all think they have exposed faces to put noncombat officers and technicians at ease? Their boss being a lesbian (or at least bisexual) Chagrian is simply a case of Equal Opportunity Evil. The technicians being normal technicians instead of gunners (the guys with the special helmets) is due to me thinking that HUD glasses would be more appropriate to handle gravity well generators.**

 **Also, has anyone noticed Stormtroopers moving around after being shot and hitting the floor? Granted, it's somewhat more realistic for them to survive being shot even if they're incapacitated.**

 **Kallus had every right to gloat to Titus, he gave him a fair warning but the idiot ignored his advice for no apparent reason. Serra and Chad also had every right to react the way they did, Titus not only lost Ezra but got numerous troops killed and three ships destroyed.**

 **I'm thinking Serra and Chad should probably have kids (after all, Palpatine would want more Dark Jedi to be born, and having seen Serra Keto's boss fight on YouTube that woman alone would have badass genes to pass on; Chad would, of course, add Skywalker genes to the mix and increase the badassery), though Ezra won't be one of them (especially since, besides being too similar to Luke/Vader from an out of universe perspective, from an in universe perspective it'd be difficult for him to get separated considering how the children of Dark Jedi would be closely watched). Help regarding their names, how many of them there should be, genders, and personalities will be appreciated. Also, I'm wondering how tall Serra should be.**

 **Lieutenant Colonel Frederic West is named in tribute to both Captain Frederick C. Branch, the first black USMC officer, and Lieutenant Colonel Allen West, a veteran of Iraq who put his troops before his career and was unjustly punished for it.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to women in Iran who are raped by Basij thugs. For those of you who think Iran isn't bad, wake the hell up. Under the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran, virgin women cannot be executed. Sounds good, right?**

 **Thing is, Basij assholes "wed" (read: rape) female prisoners so they can be executed. Also, homosexuality can earn the death sentence in Iran. So like the Soviet Union and the Third Reich, the Islamic Republic of Iran is a tyrannical regime that needs to end.**

 **Captain Douglas Anderson is a reference to both KJA (hopefully my potshots aren't getting old) and two infamous POW camps from the American Civil War. The first is Andersonville (officially "Camp Sumter"), a Confederate POW camp that was...unpleasant. Seriously, I've seen photos of surviving inmates; they look straight out of Auschwitz or Bataan. The second is Camp Douglas, apparently the Union equivalent to Andersonville in terms of crappy conditions from what I've heard.**

 **Also, I'm wondering if the Shadow Guard should appear. I never played TFU or saw all the walkthroughs, but I did see a boss fight featuring a Shadow Guardsman. When it comes to combat, I'd think they'd be Bosses in Mook Clothing for Kanan-decent threats, but he'd be capable of taking out at least the lower-ranking ones fairly easily. Personality wise, they'd be more subdued than the Inquisitors due to wearing uniforms rather than customized outfits and being more subordinate to Palps. They'd behave, on average, somewhat similarly to the Sixth Brother-not even bothering to maintain the pretense of affability, but unlike guys like the Seventh Sister/Jerec, not liable to go out of their way to be repulsive either. I'm also considering a Jedi-style ranking system (I.e. "Padawan" for apprentices) due to the "Jedi" part of "Dark Jedi" and Palps appreciating the irony.**

 **Random note, but maybe I should have Ezra flirt with Mara to troll her and Sabine...only for Mara to turn out to be his cousin or something, because it's not Star Wars without the obligatory incest joke. Also, is Spaceballs worth watching?**

 **Some Fridge Horror: Remember my headcanon that Sato's a Clone Wars vet? Well, odds are a lot of high-ranking officers both Imperial and rebel are Clone Wars veterans due to both age and experience. Here's the horrific thing-assuming guys like Sato served in the Republic Armed Forces, then that means odds are they're fighting their former colleagues.**

 **On a bad note, according to Lucas apparently the Ewoks were based off the Vietcong. Funny, I don't seem to recall a village being flamethrowered for accepting Imperial medical aid. My maternal grandfather was a South Vietnamese officer, so I take this personally.**

 **Bad real life news: PKK terrorists recently attacked a school in Turkey on January 22. Fortunately no one was killed, but it's clear these fucks need to be wiped out just like ISIS.**

 **Good real life news: The Force Awakens has made more in a few weeks, apparently, than Avatar made when it was in theater.**

 **TAKE THAT, JAMES CAMERON!**

 **In all honesty, Avatar isn't that good of a story. The Navi are willfully stagnant (unlike American Indians, who actually used guns and horses, both of which are imports; the Five Civilized Tribes actually adopted Western ideas like agriculture and written language), and we never see one of them work for the RDA as a scout or something, either for the benefits or because of a grudge. So essentially they're incredibly xenophobic, yet we're supposed to root for them. Plus how can some white guy become a better tribesman in a few months than guys who have lived there their whole lives?**

 **Wild Mass Guessing-Mace Windu may appear in at least Season 3.**

 **I mean, come on. They were able to bring back Maul after he got chopped in half and fell down a seemingly random bottomless pit (which may have been a garbage pit from what I've heard). A guy who lost his hand to Anakin's lightsaber and fell out a building after being electrocuted surviving would be trivial by comparison. I may not have read _Shatterpoint_ yet, but I do know Mace is quite the badass.**

 **Last but not least, having not read any Mara Jade or Thrawn novels yet (aside from KJA's crap and one book I've forgotten the title of, the latter of which Thrawn DEFINITELY did not appear in), I hope I hope they've been portrayed accurately in this fanfiction.**


	28. Shadows of Garel

**ME: Sorry for taking so long, guys. Last weekend was honestly kinda busy; I was occupied with finishing Twilight Company and dealing with a personal matter. Plus I had to deal with math homework. Note: Rather than adapt an episode, I'm gonna try out an original idea (hah!)-just imagine this episode taking place after Stealth Strike but before The Future of the Force. Included are adaptions of Echo and Lucas from Killzone Shadowfall.**

Citizens of the Galactic Empire, many of the sadistic insurrectionists who have sought to destroy the humble but invaluable Outer Rim world of Lothal through attempting to create support for restoring the corrupt and broken bureaucracy that was the Reoublic have been tried and executed. The remaining terrorists will be hunted down and defeated, as they deserve.

 **(Alton Kastle, HoloNet News reporter for the Outer Rim)**

Both Rex and Ezra had changed since the destruction of the Imperial vessel known as HIMS _Interdictor_.

The clone officer had shaved his mustache and beard and exercised more often, losing weight as a result. He additionally spent more time on the range and practice-fighting against younger rebels to compensate for his aging.

Ezra, on the other hand, gained weight in the form of increased muscle mass. The young Padawan had been bulking up and now was getting taller, though due to his growth being stunted as a result of growing up on the streets it was predicted that he would not be much taller than Sabine at best.

So far Garel was proving to be a decent base of operations. It was the capital of the Lothal sector and the multiple local spaceports helped to conceal Phoenix Fleet's movements. A local anti-Imperial insurrection was now being formed, though the rebel leaders took care to avoid revealing Phoenix Fleet in the process.

"Congratulations on your promotion to Lance Corporal, kid," Buy'ce told Ezra in the mess hall. "You earned it."

"Thank you, Buy'ce," Ezra replied gratefully.

Rex took a sip of juice. "Hey, Corporal," he asked the Marine, "how come your parents named you _helmet_?"

The NCO laughed. "They figured that I'd remember to wear a damn bucket if they named me that, sir."

Lance Corporal Beviin Apma smiled. "Heard the brass are trying to award you a medal, Ezra," he said. "Not bad-for an _aruetii_."

"Aw, thanks-HEY!"

An unfamiliar man approached their table. "Lieutenant Colonel Rex, sir?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's me," Rex answered. "What can I do for you, kid?"

"Briefing room in ten Mikes, Colonel. Bring Lance Corporal Bridger and the Marines with you."

 ***CUT TO: IMPERIAL COMPLEX, CAPITAL CITY, LOTHAL***

Commander Amersu Soot was happy to serve as the Captain of HIMS _Integrity_. It was a chance to hunt down the remaining Separatists, fight pirates who had looted and plundered civilian vessels while the Republic watched, and kill slavers that preyed upon her species.

The Twi'lek woman was pleasantly surprised at the size of the rally being held. It was an impressive display of the local garrison and was being broadcast on the local HoloNet News channel. Local SAG youths and adult members of COMPNOR were present as well.

Soot's superior, Count Chad Vader (who had allowed the crew of _Integrity_ to have shore leave on Lothal), strode out to thunderous applause. "Citizens," Alton Kastle said, "I give you the Lieutenant Governor of the Outer Rim, Count Chad Vader!"

"Thank you, Mr. Kastle," Vader said. "Ladies and gentlemen, nations can survive their fools, even their ambitious. But they cannot survive treason from within."

A pair of burly CompForce troopers dragged out an Army Captain in uniform. Soot was shocked at the action being officially broadcasted but held her tongue.

"This man, _formerly_ Captain Piers Roddance of the Imperial Army," Vader continued, "has been found guilty of treason like former Governor Arihnda Pryce. On the unlawful orders of this planet's former Governor, Roddance ordered his subordinates to murder Imperial citizens attempting to lawfully petition Pryce over her policies as Governor. Evidence has been found indicating Roddance, like Pryce, abused his powers in an effort to create support for an anti-Imperial insurgency-."

"Count Vader, please!" Roddance pleaded. Now the Navy officer had to keep herself from drawing her sidearm and shooting him in the head. "I had orders-."

"Don't. Interrupt me." Vader glared at Roddance and ripped off his rank insignia. "As an Imperial officer, you were obligated to obey _lawful_ orders, Roddance. And there is only one penalty that suits you."

A blade of plasma stabbed the traitor in the stomach.

 ***CUT TO: BRIEFING ROOM, _LIBERATOR_ ***

Ahsoka smiled when the door was sealed and the room was swept for bugs. "Rex, Ezra, I see you met our operative."

Said operative extended his hand. "Colonel Rex, sir, I'm Lieutenant Kellan, _former_ agent of the Imperial Security Bureau."

Rex raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure this guy's a _former_ Imp, General?" he asked Ahsoka.

Ahsoka sighed. "Rex, Lucas here is a defector. Like you, he chose to stand against the Empire."

Ezra frowned. "We aren't exactly winning victory after victory, Lieutenant," he said. "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful you're on our side now. But why defect? Hell, forget that. Why even tell us on your own?"

Lucas: "To answer your second question, I wanted you to hear it from me, not someone else." The operative's voice was sober. "To answer your first question...I learned what the Empire does in order to get its precious peace and order."

Ahsoka tapped at a holotank. "All right, everyone," she said. "POI is Governor Chavez, commander of the local garrison. Spectre Team, you and Lucas will be transported deeper into the city by truck. Your objective is to infiltrate the Governor's Mansion and capture him for interrogation. Any questions?"

Only Zeb raised a hand. "How are we supposed to get a truck, boss?" the SNCO asked. "We gotta have a five-star wanted level by now considering all the Imps we've killed."

Ahsoka smiled. "The local Alliance Army unit will be providing a covert transport, Zeb. May the Force be with you all."

 ***CUT TO: _LAMBDA_ -CLASS SHUTTLE EN ROUTE TO HIMS _DEVASTATOR_ ***

Second Lieutenant Maya Visari of the Imperial Security Bureau was appreciative of her equipment. Besides the new black armor that was now becoming standard issue throughout the ISB, Maya carried a suppressed slugthrower sniper rifle, a suppressed slugthrower pistol, and a modernized version of the old DC-15s sidearm blaster.

The shuttle finally landed, and the young woman was surprised that General Kallus was there to greet her.

"Sir, Second Lieutenant Maya Visari reporting as ordered, sir!" she said, snapping a salute.

The older agent of the Bureau returned her salute. "At ease, Lieutenant Visari," he said. "I am glad to have someone with your skills as my new junior aide."

She nodded. "Thank you, General," Maya said. "Do you have any administrative paperwork for me to deal with, sir?"

Kallus shook his head. "No. We have a situation on Garel that requires the intervention of the Imperial Security Bureau." He frowned. "Unfortunately, Lieutenant, I do not believe that the local ISB agents on Garel can resolve the situation for various reasons. In light of this, you and I are to travel to Garel and eliminate this threat to the stability of the Empire."

Maya frowned. "With all due respect, sir," she said, "I just graduated from training. I'm not an experienced agent like you, General."

Kallus smiled. "You don't boast about your capabilities, Lieutenant," said the Major General. "But you graduated at the top of your class, so you've been prepared for this mission. One warning, though-in the field, mistakes don't get you bad grades or demerits. They can easily earn you a death sentence.

 ***CUT TO: BUILDING NEAR GOVERNOR'S MANSION, GAREL CITY, GAREL***

Hera sighed as she observered through electrobinoculars. "With the riot that just got put down, security's been tightened. I don't think we can infiltrate the mansion so we can hide and ambush Chavez at night, and right now there are too many nearby civilians to start a firefight."

Governor Chavez was now spewing pro-Imperial rhetoric while standing behind a podium on the steps of his mansion. In all honesty, the Twi'lek woman preferred listening to Alton Kastle's propaganda reports.

"We don't have to," Lucas, who was observing in a different room, said. "Firing now."

To the surprise of most of Spectre Team, a HEIAP round fired by Lucas slammed into Chavez's chest.

 ***CUT TO: IMPERIAL COMPLEX, GAREL CITY, GAREL***

"Alright!" Kallus ordered. "The Governor has been assassinated, we are to respond immediately. Captain Crest, Lieutenant Four-Seven, take your troopers and follow me. Lieutenant Visari, get out of the light and into the shadows. Any questions?"

"No, sir!" the other Imperials barked.

"Good, move out!"

The Dark Troopers followed Kallus and their superiors to a pair of gunships Maya pulled on a hood and engaged her cloaking device. Due to the covert nature of her assignment, instead of Maya's black ISB armor she wore a hooded cloak over a tunic and combat pants. To the ISB agent's annoyance, besides her skills and cloaking device all Maya had to protect herself was a blast vest worn under her tunic.

But she had a job to do, and Second Lieutenant Maya Visari, Operating Number ISB-210, would accomplish her mission.

 **ME: A/N: Kinda short and boring, but I wanted to get an update in.**

 **Governor Chavez is a reference to Hugo Chavez, a socialist asshole who falsely accused Israel of genocide. Seriously, anti-Israeli people, SHUT THE FUCK UP! Stop lying about the only democratic republic in the Middle East! Oh, and Venezuela is why we should not adopt socialism like Bernie Sanders says. A show of hands for everyone who would rather live in Venezuela than Texas. Seriously, if my state was an independent nation, Texas's GDP would be around three times the size of Venezuela's. Clearly we actually know what the hell we're doing. May Venezuela finally realize Chavez's policies have failed. God bless the Venezuelans who today have to deal with rationing, shortages, government thugs abusing their powers, and looting.**

 **Also, the latest episode of Rebels, The Call, was stupid as hell. Seriously, the Space Whales were a legitimate hazard that should've been exterminated if they weren't ecologically important, and no, animals would not inspire hyperspace travel. Realistically, it'd be motivated by colonization and access to more resources. Who wrote that shit, Ted Turner? James Cameron? Ugh, there are better ways to spread environmental awareness, as Film Brain posts out.**

 **Now that I've read all the Republic Commando novels, TFA's novelization, the Clone Wars-era Republic comics, Jango Fett: Open Seasons, and Jedi Trial on iBooks, and have purchased Shatterpoint, the MedStar Duology, the first nine X-Wing novels, the Dark Lord Trilogy, Allegiance, and Choices of One (the latter two being recently purchased on my good friend Ahsokafanboy1138's recommendation), I do wonder-what should I get next?**

 **Oh, and special thanks to Ahsokafanboy1138 for serving as a sounding board when I was writing this. Thank you for your patience, my friend.**


	29. Escape into the black

**ME: Sorry for the lack of an update, guys. I've been busy and there was math homework this week. Though I am now 18, yay! It wasn't even my birthday before I was registered for Selective Service, and I didn't even fill out a form. Also, in light of me recently watching the fifth episode of Firefly on Netflix with my father, the crew of _Serenity_ will be appearing via adaptations.**

I won't have my methods questioned by someone who can only rise to power by riding on Darth Vader's coattails!

 **(Moff Clint Shermer, Governor of the Lothal sector)**

With the death of Governor Chavez, the situation in Garel City had deteoriated, Colonel Mael Radec reflected.

Radec was in charge of a regiment of Stormtroopers assigned to the Planetary Governor; he and his troops primarily protected Chavez's residence, maintained control of the surrounding city streets, and provided security for the Governor and his staff via detachments of soldiers when necessary. Though the Colonel would normally be grateful for Chavez dying, for he was an idiotic paper-pusher whose chief "talent" was talking a lot, it had occured on Radec's watch and was still an act of treason against the Empire.

"Lieutenant Governor," Radec said, "we will need to lockdown the city and send Stormtroopers to back up the Federal Guard units searching for the rebels."

"What?!" Maduro said. "Impossible! Colonel, your job is to protect me! Let us both hope for your sake you won't fail spectacularly again!"

Radec was very much tempted to throttle Maduro, but even a broken chronometer was right twice a day. "Sir," he said, trying to keep his voice calm, "it will be easier for you to remain alive if the terrorists are eliminated so they cannot attempt an assassination again."

"Do not think you are in charge here, Radec!" Maduro snapped. "You will have your regiment-."

"-neutralize the enemy," a Coruscanti voice interrupted the Lieutenant Governor.

Both Maduro and Radec turned to find a man in black ISB armor. His rank insignia indicated he was a Major General, so Radec instinctively saluted.

"How dare you!" Maduro said. "I am the Governor of this planet, I'll make sure you never eat again for that!"

The ISB agent, after returning Radec's salute, depolarized his visor and rolled his eyes. "The fact that your incompetent superior was recently killed by a bullet does not mean you have been formally promoted, _Lieutenant_ Governor." He then withdrew a holoprojector and activated it.

Count Chad Vader, Lieutenant Governor of the Outer Rim, appeared. "Maduro," he said, "in light of you being an utter imbecile, I hereby relieve you of command effective immediately. Kallus, you may deal with this moron however you see fit. Vader out."

Maduro made the mistake of getting into the agent's personal space. "I will not be insulted by some petty thug with a recording-."

The General drew a pistol and put a round through the Lieutenant Governor's head. Radec did not react, for Kallus had clearly been authorized to kill Maduro.

Holstering his sidearm, the man in black extended his hand and Radec shook it. "Colonel Mael Radec, I'm Major General David Kallus."

"General Kallus, sir," Radec said, "it is an honor to meet you."

Kallus nodded politely. "The honor is mine, Colonel. With both Chavez and his lackey now dead, I trust you can devote the majority of your troopers to finding the rebels?"

"Of course, General," Radec replied.

"Good, Colonel Radec. Remember this-we will be hunting the most dangerous game in the galaxy; traitors to the Great Uniter's New Order."

 ***CUT TO: BUILDING NEAR GOVERNOR'S MANSION, GAREL CITY, GAREL***

Colonel Jarrus immediately confronted Lucas. "Lieutenant, what the hell?" he snapped. "The objective was to take Chavez alive, not _murder_ him!"

Lucas shook his head. "Colonel," he said, "with all due respect, _we couldn't take the SOB alive_. General Tano gave me strict orders to shoot if he couldn't be captured, and that fat motherfucker was a legitimate target."

"Spectre Zero to Spectre One, come in," Tano said via comlink. "Do you copy, over?"

"Go ahead, Spectre One," said Jarrus, still eyeing Lucas.

"Good work, keep a low profile and get to safety. Oh, and don't give Lucas a hard time; I ordered it. Spectre Zero out."

"We gotta move!" said the Army Sergeant. "Come on, the longer we stay here, the more likely we'll have bucketheads all over our asses."

Spectre Team and Lucas piled into the trailer of the repulsor truck with all of the Army soldiers save their Sergeant, who opted to get in the tractor and drive the truck.

The chatter they heard listening to Imperial frequencies did not paint a pretty picture. "All patrol units," said the police dispatcher, "do not engage the terrorists. Repeat, avoid engaging the terrorist. Call for DUP or military assistance immediately if you spot the terrorists, I say again, request backup immediately."

"DUP?" Bridger asked.

One of the soldiers spoke up. "The Department of Unified Protection is a planetary agency," he said. "Rather than policing the streets, they tend to focus on counter-insurgency and riot control like the Federal Guard."

"Yeah," said another soldier, "look for white, black, and gold. Hell, switch out gold for gray and you'd get the damn Imperial color scheme."

A police car must've pulled up behind them, for there was the sound of a siren and a man said, "Pull the fuck over!"

 _How polite._

"Shit, pulling over," said the Sergeant. "Keep quiet, guys. I'll keep my comlink on transmit so you can hear me."

The truck pulled over.

"Good morning, officer," the Sergeant said after twenty seconds. "I swear, I was driving within the speed limit."

"Citizen," the cop replied, this one a woman, "we have reason to believe you may be transporting rebels, willingly or not, in your vehicle. First, unlock the trailer's door so we can check for terrorists. Second, please step outside of the vehicle and keep your hands where I can see them."

Lucas knew there were at least two police officers in the immediate vicinity, though he guessed there were probably more. Regardless, he pulled back the slide of his slugthrower pistol to see if a round was loaded. Luckily for him-and unluckily for the cops-there was a 5.7x28mm bullet ready for action.

"Okay, I'm opening the trailer door now."

"Wait, no!"

Two officers, one armed with a shotgun, the other with a pistol, were outside the trailer. Bridger stunned Pistol Cop, while Lucas double-tapped Shotgun Cop in the head. To the untrained eye, the police officers only wore shirts and pants, but the rebel operative knew civilian law enforcement frequently wore blast vests under their uniforms.

"Shit-."

There was the sound of a slugthrower shotgun blast and glass being shattered, then the Sergeant yelled, "Tango down!"

Lucas walked out of the truck with the others, weapons at the ready. There was a speeder bike and an SUV, both in police livery. "All the cops are dead or stunned, we gotta move."

"Hey, wait!"

A woman in a red hood and black pants walked out, arms raised in the air.

"I want to join the rebellion," she said. "I want to help fight the Empire."

Lucas felt that the woman's voice was familiar, and just as a soldier got close to her he was able to get a good look at her face. "Maya?"

The soldier made the fatal mistake of turning around to talk to him. "Hey, you know this-."

Maya grabbed the man's rifle and redirected it to avoid being shot while ducking her head and kicking him in the groin. As the soldier grunted in pain, Maya rifle butted him in the face and took the poor bastard hostage.

"Drop the weapon or we shoot!" Orrelios yelled, ready to fire.

Maya didn't roll her green eyes, but Lucas could see in her irises that she clearly knew who had the upper hand here. "And risk killing your fellow traitor if my corpse pulls the trigger on reflex? I am an Agent of the Imperial Security Bureau, and by the powers invested in me, sanctioned by His Imperial Majesty the Great Uniter and the Imperial Senate, I am placing all of you under arrest for crimes against the Empire, including but not limited to the unlawful killing of Governor Chavez."

Lucas caught the eye of Jarrus, and the Colonel gestured with his shoulder. Understanding his cue, the operative moved forward.

"Don't come any closer or I'll shoot, Lucas!" Maya warned.

He shook his helmeted head. "No, you won't," Lucas replied. "The moment you put a round through this schmuck's skull, his buddies have no reason to not use you for target practice. I trained with you, Maya. You think I wouldn't know if you were bluffing or not?"

"How could you?" Maya seemed genuinely hurt, though she did a nice job of keeping her voice level. "You abandoned not only the Empire, but me and all of our friends. The Great Uniter and his favored servants have brought peace to the galaxy, but you decided to defect to the side that's started a new war. Why would you help bring back the chaos and suffering that innocents suffered thanks to the Clone Wars?"

"Maya," he said, "Palps and his cronies aren't above _anything_ in the name of law and order. Peace may be the optimum state of the galaxy, but it is not its natural one and peace shouldn't come through suppression. Should civilizations be built on the backs of slaves who only work out of fear of their overseers' whips? The Empire has done nothing to earn your loyalty."

"I have the firearm," Maya said as he closed the distance. "If the most I do for the galaxy is pull the trigger and take down one rebel terrorist with me, so be it."

"Yes," Jarrus said, "but I have the Force."

The Jedi clenched his fist, crushing the rifle with the Force.

To Maya's credit, she reacted well. She shoved her hostage at Lucas while making sure to keep herself out of the line of fire. As Lucas shoved the rebel out of the way, she threw a punch but he had prepared for it and blocked it before head butting her.

Maya wasn't wearing a helmet, so it hurt her more than it hurt him. Lucas tried to tackle her, but even though she was on the ground Maya was able to kick him in the chest and keep him from pinning her down.

Suddenly a stun round slammed into the female ISB agent's head, and Maya finally stopped moving.

One of the two Marines, Lance Corporal Beviin Apma, glanced at him. "Gee, _ner vod_ , even after a Keldabe kiss your girlfriend kept fighting. She a Mandalorian like me and Buy'ce?"

Lucas: "She's not my-." He then sighed and said, "Fuck it, we got a job to do."

One of the soldiers actually spit on a dead cop. "Man, fuck the pol-."

A burst of fire slammed into his neck.

"Contact! Contact!"

It was a group of Dark Troopers, battle droids created by a project sponsored by Major General Rom Mohc. Unlike the normal white models, this particular group was all-black, which meant they were part of the elite 501st Legion. Focusing, Lucas could tell that one of the Dark Troopers was a Phase Zero, meaning he was actually a cyborg rather than a droid, while one droid was a Phase Two and the rest of the group were Phase Ones.

"First Squad, with me!" ordered the Phase Zero. "Four-Seven, take Second Squad and move up! We'll cover you!"

"Yes, Captain Crest!"

A couple of the Army soldiers were killed by the Phase Two, who advanced with a slugthrower assault shotgun loaded with explosive ammunition. "Die, rebel meatbags! Die! Die! Die!"

One of the rebels retreated into an alley, only to be bayoneted by a figure who had decloaked.

Lucas, having noticed the figure, was not only able to dodge his fire but able to shoot back and hit him.

The battle had gone poorly for the rebels. Though all the Dark Troopers had been neutralized, all of the Alliance Army soldiers had perished.

"Come on!" Jarrus said.

Lucas and Spectre Team got back into the truck, but they were only able to make it a few blocks before they were stopped by a road block.

"Surrender, terrorists!" said an Imperial officer standing next to a Stormtrooper. "My name is General Armin Metrac. This is your last chance to surrender peacefully. If you refuse my offer, we have been ordered by Count Vader to take you alive if possible but there are some things that should frighten you more than death. Namely Colonel Tendon Cobar's genuine zeal for the cause of the glorious entity that is the Galactic Empire."

Wren groaned. "We're gonna lose to this guy?" To their rear was a pair of hovering TIE combat cloud cars, preventing a retreat.

" _Serenity_ Actual to Spectre Team, come in," said a new voice via comlink. "Hold tight, we're in bound to your location for extract."

Commander Syndulla stepped outside of the truck. "You guys might want to start running right now, we got friends coming to rescue us."

The Stormtrooper Colonel started laughing. "You can't possibly believe that you'll win!"

Suddenly the two TIEs exploded, and a freighter appeared out of nowhere.

"Retreat! Retreat!" Metrac yelled while running away.

Cobar, on the other hand, actually opened fire with his rifle and got killed for his trouble.

The Imperial Troop Transports, the only things available to the Imps that stood a chance, were destroyed along with the DUP APCs. As a result, the only troopers that weren't killed were forced to retreat or surrender.

The transport, which Lucas now recognized as a _Firefly_ -class vessel, landed and lowered its ramp. "Come on!" said a man with brown hair and blue eyes. "We got Imps on our asses, you gorram bastards have a five-star wanted level!"

"Someone's been playing Grand Theft Starship."

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _DEVASTATOR_ ***

"Admiral Thrawn, Captain Montferrat," said the navigation officer.

"Yes, Lieutenant?" Thrawn asked.

"We're exiting hyperspace in t-minus sixty seconds, sirs."

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

Agent Kallus had reported that Governor Chavez of Garel had been assassinated, so Count Vader had ordered Thrawn and the _Devastator_ Group to accompany him and HIMS Integrity to hunt down the assassins.

Thrawn had predicted that the infamous crew of the rebel vessel known as _Ghost_ was behind the death of Chavez, so he had gone over any information he could access on the insurgents.

 _Sabine Wren, age seventeen. Former Cadet of the Imperial junior academy on Mandalore, a child prodigy that was allowed to enter training at a younger age than fifteen. Gifted in languages, Military Intelligence wanted her as an interrogator. Is believed to have deserted alongside former Cadet Ketsu Onyo._

The Chiss flag officer noted that Wren was something of a hypocrite, for she had referred to Stormtroopers as "bucketheads" repeatedly but her own Mandalorian helmet resembled a bucket more than a Stormtrooper's. He had even gone over images of her graffiti artwork, and concluded that the Mandalorian traitor was both creative and unpredictable, a dangerous combination.

 _Devastator_ exited hyperspace, and Thrawn found himself speaking with both Count Vader and Moff Shermer.

"They're getting away in a _Firefly_ -class transport!" the Sector Governor snapped. "Thrawn, stop them!"

"We will succeed where you have failed miserably, _Clint_ ," Vader said coldly. "Admiral, scramble Black Squadron. I will bring Spark Squadron."

Thrawn: "Of course, my lord." It was smart to send two squadrons after the rebels. _Devastator_ alone had an entire wing of TIEs, but scrambling every TIE fighter they had would leave them with no reserves and increase the risk of both ship-to-ship collisions and friendly fire.

 ***CUT TO: CHAD VADER'S TIE INTERCEPTOR***

"I have your back, Your Lordship!"

"Of course you do, Spark Leader."

Baron Valen Rudor possessed that rare blend of expendable and invulnerable that made him the perfect henchman.

Moving into range, Chad opened fire but it was too late. The _Firefly_ had been a considerable distance away from the Imperials exit from hyperspace, so the rebels were able to go FTL once they cleared the gravity well before the TIEs could disable their shields and engines.

"May I suggest we blame Governor Shermer, sir?" Baron Fel said.

"Yes, Captain," Chad said. "We arrived as fast as we could, and it's not our fault the Moff's troops couldn't even get one job done right."

 _Why couldn't I just have sex with Serra today instead of cleaning up after Clint?_

 ***CUT TO: ALLEY, GAREL CITY, GAREL***

Kallus groaned as he got up, his head hurting from the round that had slammed into his helmet. His armor was good enough that the ISB Agent didn't have a burn from the blaster shot, but it still hurt like hell.

"I think I'm gonna need to see a neurologist, sir," Lieutenant Visari said. "Apologies for my failure, General. I take full responsibility for not capturing the terrorists, I was recognized by a defector from my class and failed to account for something like that beforehand."

Kallus grimaced. "I too will need to see a neurologist," he said. "But it was your first mission, Lieutenant, so don't be too hard on yourself. I know that you would not willingly fail as an Imperial."

HK-047 and Captain Crest, both of whom had survived but lost limbs, approached the two Bureau officers.

"Analysis," the droid said. "I am no medical droid, General Kallus, but it appears both of you need medical attention in light of the vulnerabilities inherent in all normal meatbags."

Kallus frowned. "Wait, did you seriously just call us meatbags?"

"To elaborate, sir," Four-Seven continued, "it is not an insult on my part towards either you or Second Lieutenant Visari. It's just that you two have so many squishy parts and have all those liquids inside your frail bodies! How that constant sloshing doesn't drive you mad, Agent, I will never know."

 **ME: A/N: I went to a shooting range yesterday and fired a gun for the first time in my life. Specifically, an AR-15. I was actually fairly decent for a beginner, and it was a nice birthday present. So was being able to watch Deadpool. I was able to collect a pair of casings (a 5.56 and a 9mm, the latter fired by another guy), and let me assure you I now appreciate firearms more. Also, wear ear protection, ladies and gentleman-even with headphones it was loud as shit.**

 **Apparently Planetary Governors and Moffs had regiments of Stormtroopers for their protection in Legends. Plus my good friend Ahsokafanboy1138 likes Colonel Mael Radec from Killzone, so I decided to include him.**

 **Also, if you guys are wondering, the repulsor truck described is basically an eighteen wheeler in space.**

 **Apparently cops in real life wear ballistic vests under their shirts to provide protection while not looking military. Also, "bulletproof" is a misnomer since most vests can only provide protection from 9mm rounds and shrapnel without plates. My brother, father, and I went to a Subways after a Krav Maga lesson, and this one cop who was sitting at the back (undoubtedly in the event some gangbanger tried to pull anything) and my father said he looked bulky and offered an explanation (I didn't really note anything about the guy other than him being black).**

 **The Department of Unified Protection is a reference to inFamous: Second Son. I never played inFamous, but what videos I've seen from TheRadBrad are decent enough (though the First Light DLC was better written). Though the DUPs probably don't have concrete powers here, since I doubt the Emperor would allow that even for an Imperial-allied militia.**

 **Rudor's sole purpose in Rebels is to be miserable, so that Butt Monkey inevitably survives whatever hilarious events happen to him and Chad knows it,**

 **Lieutenant Governor Maduro is a reference to the current President of Venezuela, who is a homophobe and hypocrite. Additionally, the Venezuelan National Guard have used excessive force against anti-government protestors, so Maduro and those goons are gonna be the first ones up against the wall when Venezuela is liberated if it's up to me.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to the victims of the Fort Hood shooting. Your murders took place during a terrorist attack, ladies and gentlemen, not an instance of "workplace violence." I don't care what Obama or the Regressive ("regressive" is intentional, considering how the left tend to ignore Islamist atrocities) Left say, Nidal Hasan is a terrorist, traitor, and mass murderer.**

 **The Federal Guard are those Imperial Army troopers I mentioned earlier. I figured their branch of the Army should be formally named since the Stormtroopers are organized as the Stormtrooper Corps. Imagine them looking like the Navy troopers, but with gray uniforms instead of black ones and they're more likely to have riot visors attached to their helmets for added protection. I named them the "Imperial Guard" originally as a reference to the National Guard, but Ahsokafanboy1138 pointed out they'd be confused with the Royal Guard (those guys in red from ROTJ) and WH40K, so I changed the names. Plus "Federal" implies the Empire is a federal constitutional monarchy rather than a dictatorship, so it's better for PR come to think of it.**

 **Instead of how they looked like in Legends, imagine the Phase One Dark Troopers as looking like a cross between a Stormtrooper and the EM-208s from the RoboCop remake. Honestly, they'd look more like the EM-208s but with a head resembling a Stormtrooper's helmet. Also, the fact the Dark Troopers have black paint jobs is in tribute to Vader, though I'm wondering if the regular 501st would be aesthetically unremarkable to avoid being noticed (especially since the _Tantive IV_ boarding party looked like normal Stormtroopers but canonically were 501st).**

 **Speaking of helmets, does anyone else notice that the ones in TFA make it look like they're all smiling? Heh, maybe it's to win hearts and minds.**

 **Hux: *looks at a corpse* You know, Captain, when Supreme Leader Snoke said we needed to win hearts and minds, I'm sure he didn't mean two in the heart, one in the mind.**

 **Phasma: But, sir, look at how happy he looks.**

 **I've only read the first chapter of Heir to the Empire, but I know of Thrawn's Awesomeness by Analysis. No spoilers, I'm holding off on the Thrawn trilogy until I read chronologically earlier works featuring him like _Outbound Flight_.**


	30. Cousins of the Force

**ME: Due to using Maya and Lucas's original names, the crew of _Serenity_ will be using their canonical names as well...unless any of you suggest otherwise. This will be my adaptation of The Future of the Force, though there will be a separate subplot in this chapter. Also, I'm gonna go ahead and have the Church of the Force as the equivalent of Christianity in the Star Wars universe. Before anyone starts complaining, come on, in a world where Vader can choke someone without ever laying a hand on them, is God existing really that far fetched?**

Do not worship any other gods besides me. Do not make or worship idols. Do not misuse my name. Do not work on the seventh day of the week, for it belongs to me. Respect one's parents. Do not murder. Be faithful in marriage. Do not steal. Do not tell lies about others. Do not want anything that belongs to someone else.

 **(The Ten Commandments of the Collection of Scriptures, the sacred texts of the Church of the Force)**

"You have my thanks, friend," Kanan told the man in the browncoat before extending his hand.

The man shook it firmly. "Don't thank me, pal," he replied. " _Serenity's_ the one taking you through hyperspace. Thank her or her mechanic, Kaylee. I'm just Commander Malcolm Reynolds, captain of this fine vessel."

"Colonel Kanan Jarrus, Spectre Team, Commanding Officer."

A Human woman with dark skin came down the nearby stairs. "Sir," she said, "Wash has engaged the autopilot now that we're going FTL. Do you want to hold a meeting to get to know Spectre Team?"

"Agreed," Reynolds said.

The two rebels group met in _Serenity's_ dining hall.

"This is my XO, Lieutenant Commander Zoe Washburne," Mal began, indicating the dark-skinned woman. "The blond guy only slighter taller than her is _Serenity's_ pilot, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Hoban Washburne, but everyone calls him Wash. Lieutenant Jayne Cobb is, unfortunately, third-in-command and our weapons expert. Shepherd Derrial Book here is a member of the Church of the Force and our unofficial chaplain. Inara Serra, the lovely Rutian woman here, is a registered Companion and fortunately has a legal job even if I have zero respect for it. Petty Officer. Machinist's Mate Second Class Kaywinnit Lee Frye, better known as Kaylee, is what keeps this old girl flying through the stars. Our Chief Medical Officer, Doctor Simon Tam, along with Colonel Gregor Hakha, is currently occupied dealing with a personal matter."

Kanan nodded. Hera was glaring at Inara, the only Non-Human of the group, for Twi'lek women were stereotyped as sexually promiscuous and the Companions' Guild members participated in, among other things, prostitution.

 _Well, this is gonna be fun._

The Jedi Knight cleared his throat. "This is my wife, Commander Hera Syndulla, Captain of _Ghost_. Sergeant Major Garazeb Orrelios was a member of the Honor Guard of Lasan. Lance Corporal Sabine Wren, our Mandalorian explosives expert. This is Lance Corporal Ezra Bridger, my Padawan. The Marines are Corporal Buy'ce Ward and Lance Corporal Beviin Apma. Last but certainly not least for now is Lieutenant Lucas Kellan, an intelligence operative. We got an astromech droid named Chopper and a blonde Concordian pilot, Lieutenant JG Diana Merrik, but they're currently not with us."

Reynolds nodded. "That's the nature of war, families and friends can easily be lost or far away. That was learned more than fifteen years ago, when the Confederacy rose up against the corrupt and bloated bureaucracy that became the Empire."

Kanan frowned. "Captain Reynolds, are you guys Separatist holdouts?"

Mal: "I prefer Confederate, since 'Separatist' implies the Republic was a legitimate entity."

Hera glared furiously. "Don't act like the Seps were freedom fighters!" she snapped. "Under Wat Tambor, civilian villages on Ryloth, my homeworld, were bombed out of spite!"

"Thing here is the Republic used an army of cloned slaves," Reynolds shot back. "The only source we have for bombing villages comes from the Grand Army reports, which could've easily been fabricated to make the Confederacy look bad. But everyone knows the Jedi jackboots sent clones to die for people who didn't give a damn about them. The Republic wasn't a real democracy, it wouldn't leave planets who voted to secede alone-."

"Enough!" Shepherd Book interrupted. "Captain Syndulla, if it makes you feel any better, Captain Reynolds and his XO are second-generation Confederates. They weren't old enough to fight in the Clone Wars, so they were never your enemies. Besides, debating over the Republic and the Confederacy is meaningless since we all have a far more powerful foe; the Empire. We need to work together or die."

There was a pregnant pause as everyone stared at the preacher.

"What?" Book said. "I'm capable of more than bringing the word to heathens."

A bald, pale man entered the room. "Colonel Jarrus," he said, "I'm Colonel Gregor Hakha. May I speak with you in private?"

"Of course," Kanan replied.

The two moved to a room, which Hakha promptly secured before activating a holotransceiver.

"Bad news, Kanan," Ahsoka said.

 ***CUT TO: CIVILIAN TRANSPORT***

"There, there, Alora," the old woman told her granddaughter. "We're away from trouble now; a new life awaits us both."

Suddenly the ship stopped moving. Darja was no astronaut, but even she knew friction didn't exist in space. It could only mean a tractor beam was being used to interdict the transport.

"It's the Empire!" a younger passenger yelled. "They're seizing the ship!"

"We have to get outta here!"

The airlock opened, and two figures emerged. One was a Togruta woman in a black cloak, the other looked like a new version of General Grievous.

"Please, we don't want any trouble!" pleaded the captain of the vessel. "Why have you boarded?"

"You have someone on board that just so happens to be a fugitive," the Togruta said.

Without hesitation Darja turned on her heel and tried to run to protect Alora, only to be seized in a grip.

"Keep away," the old woman said, mustering up what strength she had.

"Your concern for your grandchild is unnecessary, old one," the droid said. "Your own life, on the other hand... _that_ is at stake."

 ***CUT TO: DINING ROOM, _SERENITY_ ***

"Alright," Mal said. "We're gonna have to make a few random jumps before we can RV with General Tano. Any ideas on how to pass the time?"

"We could talk," Book said, "get to know our fellow sentients better."

Kellan spoke up. "I'm a Mandalorian from Vekta."

"Vekta, sir?" said one of the Marines. "I didn't notice the accent."

The operative nodded. "Yeah, I'm a Vektan. Back at the Academy, we got training to adopt or drop accents as needed in the event we ever had to go undercover."

"What's Vekta like?" Wash asked.

Kellan: "Vekta's populated by moderate Mandalorians who originally tried to balance strength and tradition with social progress and technological advancement. Unfortunately, with the rise of the Imps and their Death Watch proxies being placed in charge of the Mandalore sector Vekta has become more militarized, with assholes like a former father figure of mine gaining power."

"Sorry to hear that," Jarrus said. "Out of curiousity, why do your gloves look metallic?"

Kellan smiled as he flexed his hands. "That's because these are crushgaunts, sir."

"Crushgaunts?" Wren asked.

"Bullshit," Jayne commented. "No way you guys can afford those."

"That's because I took these when I deserted the Academy," Kellan said. "Made of _beskar_ and a reactive fabric, crushgaunts enhance the strength of their users and make it easier to snap necks, crush skulls, and collapse throats."

"Thank you, Kellan," Mal said. "Colonel Hakha, anything to say?"

Hakha cleared his throat. "I am a half-breed," he said. "My mother is a Helghast, my father a Vektan."

"Helghast?" Bridger asked.

"A group of Mandalorian Near-Humans who live on Helghan," the bald Colonel elaborated. "A shitty place to live, if you'll excuse my vernacular. As a result, the Helghast are tougher, on average, than a Human or humanoid. I joined the rebels because I grew to dislike the direction Helghan is taking under the Empire."

 ***CUT TO: BARRISS OFFEE'S TIE ADVANCED***

Docking with _Ark Angel_ , Barriss wished she could have worn her normal attire, clothes befitting a meeting with Lord Vader, but the Mirialan Dark Jedi was prudent enough to wear a flight suit and helmet whenever she flew her personal fighter. After all, it was better to be safe than to be sorry.

Removing her helmet, Barriss bowed before Vader. "Greetings, my lord," she said.

"Good day, my lady," he replied. "Come, I would like for you to meet Doctor Aphra."

Doctor Aphra was a tan Human woman with dark hair and eyes. "Greetings, Lady Offee," she said as they shook hands. "Sir Vader's told me a lot about you, sounds like you're an utter badass."

" _Lord_ Vader," Vader corrected.

"Sorry, I'm not a protocol droid," Aphra protested. Barriss was mildly annoyed at the archaeologist, but she probably was smart enough if Vader had recruited her. "Anyhow, Lady Offee, he told me we needed to do a bank robbery."

"Correct," he said. "There is a bank that launders funds for the Hutt Cartel. I believe we can make sure their credits are put to better use."

 ***CUT TO: _GHOST_ , RV POINT***

Ahsoka nodded when Kanan boarded. "Okay, I have two sets of coordinates concerning the Inquisitors," she said. "The first set I will investigate with the crew of _Serenity_ and the Marines, I want you to investigate the second set with Ezra, Zeb, and Chopper. Additionally, I'm detaching a group of SEALs and a Cryptologic Technician to help you guys out while Diana flies you all in via _Phantom_. Hera, take Sabine and Lucas back to Garel with _Ghost_."

Hera raised an eyebrow. "We can go with Kanan and the others to help them out," she said. "Why have us go back?"

"A smaller team will have an easier time sneaking around," Ahsoka responded. "The more people assigned to a mission, the more likely it is to be detected by an Inquisitor." She neglected to mention that, if all went wrong, fewer rebels would die if they did things her way.

"Understood, I'm just worried."

The three groups went their separate ways, and _Serenity_ exited hyperspace in the Chandel system.

"Okay, I got a ship," Zoe said. "She's drifting, looks like the reactor's cold. Apart from one life-sign, I got nothing."

"That doesn't account for droids," Mal countered. "For all we know, that thing's a trap and the Imps loaded it with Dark Troopers."

"We still need to investigate." Ahsoka decided to proceed with caution. "Okay, Buy'ce, Beviin, and I will board the ship and investigate, Mal. You and your crew can stay onboard."

"Not gonna happen, General," he said. "I prefer not to sit out of a fight. Jayne, grab a shotgun. Zoe, stay onboard but make sure no one makes it onto _Serenity_ if this turns out to be a trap. You're in charge until we get back. This way, worst case scenario Jayne won't slit your throat to take over."

"I wouldn't do that," the bulky man said.

"Thanks."

"I'd just snap your neck, Zoe. Slitting your throat would get blood everywhere, and I ain't cleaning it up."

Ahsoka looked him in the eye. "You are one dangerous son of a bitch, Jayne."

"Aa, thanks, ma'am!"

Armed and ready, the five rebels proceeded into the transport. Ahsoka found evidence of lightsaber use-there was both damage that could only have come from plasma blades and corpses.

"Fuck," Buy'ce swore. "Bastards killed them."

"How come these Inquisitors left this one person aboard?" asked Jayne. "This feels like a trap."

Eventually they found the survivor. She was an old woman, dying of injuries Ahsoka knew she could not hope to heal.

"Help," the survivor said. "I'm here."

"It's okay," Ahsoka said.

"Shit, ma'am, it ain't," Mal said, but even his voice had softened for all of his cynicism. "Mal to Wash, send Simon. I repeat, get on the PA and tell Doc to get his ass over here, we found a badly injured elderly woman."

"Save your breath, son," said the woman. "Please, just find my granddaughter, I beg you."

"Your granddaughter?" asked Ahsoka.

"Yes, the red blades took her," the grandmother said. "They know she has it, _she has it_..."

Ahsoka clutched the hand of the elderly woman as she died. _I have to rescue this poor woman's granddaughter. If the Inquisitors get in my way, I'm not gonna play nice._

 ***CUT TO: HANGAR ENTRANCE, TAKOBO CITY, TAKOBO***

Zeb, having been sent to check with Chopper if the Inquisitors had already landed. The astromech had made a lucky guess and opened the doors to a hangar where a _Sentinel_ -class landing craft was parked.

Predictably, however, the Imps had left a spy to watch over the ship. "I see it," the Lasat said as he took cover and grabbed his rifle. "It's one of those lousy probes."

Lining up the droid in his sights, Zeb pulled the trigger and laughed after he hit the droid before grunting. "If I never see one of those things again," he grunted, "it'll be too soon. All right, let's blow this bird up and get outta here before the Inquisitors show up."

To the SNCO's displeasure, it turns out the Inquisitors had left a baby aboard the shuttle. "I really hope that isn't an infant Inquisitor," Zeb muttered.

 _Then leave it,_ Chopper beeped as the baby continued to cry.

"No, we aren't leaving a baby to be raised by some psychos Palps hired."

 _We could blow it up with the ship._

"Forcedammit, that's tasteless even for you."

 ***CUT TO: HOUSING UNITS, HAMMERTOWN, TAKOBO CITY, TAKOBO***

The investigation proved rather...grim.

Kanan was saddened to learn Oora's husband had been killed trying to defend her, but luckily they were able to send their child Pypey away with a droid. Additionally, Zeb had reported that he had destroyed a landing craft that was likely serving as the Inquisitors transports but first had recovered a Human infant they had kidnapped.

"Copy that, Spectre Four," he said. "Be advised: There's another baby headed your way, over."

"Another one?" Zeb groaned.

"Affirmative, the family was able to get it to a droid. When you find it, tell it the mother, Oora, sent you."

"Roger that."

"Spectre Six to Jammer," said Ezra. "You picking up any comm traffic about us?"

"Negative, Spectre Six," replied the technician. "Nothing but standard Imperial chatter from what I can hear. I'll warn you if anything comes up, though."

"Copy that, thanks anyway. Six out."

As Kanan and Ezra walked back to Hangar Bay Twelve, Zeb contacted them again. "Break-break! Spectre One, heading back to Phantom is not, repeat, not gonna happen! Grievous Wannabe and one of your Inquisitor friends found me, I'm on the move!"

"Understood!" Kanan replied. "Where are you headed?"

"Meet me at the tower at the Grid Nine intersection!"

The two ran to the specified location, only to stop and hide in an alley.

"Great, a probe," Ezra snarked.

Kanan merely drew his pistol, set it to stun, and fired. The droid short-circuited and fell to the ground.

"Let's go."

The two promptly rendezvoused with Zeb, and Pypey starting crying.

"What is wrong with him?" Ezra asked.

"He's Force-sensitive, just like you!" Kanan answered. "Shit, no wonder why the Inquisitors are after these kids!"

 ***CUT TO: ENTRANCE TO HANGAR BAY TWELVE***

Lieutenant Jan Templar, to Diana's approval, had stationed his SEALs outside of the hangar to hold off any Imperials when Jammer had reported that the local authorities and Army had been alerted to Spectre Team's presence.

Unfortunately, Chopper had opted to lock them out.

Ezra ran in. "Let me in, Chopper!" he yelled as he pounded on the door. "Let me in!" Muttering a series of obscenities even a Mandalorian like Diana would blush at, the _Jetii_ then said, "The door is locked, Kanan! The door is locked!"

"Little preoccupied right now!"

The droid that looked like Grievous was pursuing both Jarrus and Orrelios, along with a Togruta _Dar'jetii_ whose face was hidden by a pair of glasses and a respirator.

Diana opened fire along with Orrelios and the five-man SEAL fireteam. Unfortunately, the droid blocked their fire and the Togruta sent them all flying with the Force.

The Colonel was, naturally, the first to recover and he charged at the _Dar'jetii_. She pointed at the others, and the droid charged like an obedient nek.

 _A nek that will turn us into fucking kebabs._

One of the SEALs fired at the _beskar'ad_ , who promptly deflected a round into Diana's right leg.

The Concordian woman screamed in pain as she went down. The particle bolt had cauterized blood vessels but exposed tissue that bled raw plasma.

The SEALs had even less luck than Diana. Two of them were knocked aside and maybe could have survived. The other three were all decapitated.

Ezra glanced at her. "Diana-!"

"Go!" she snapped, putting pressure on her wound with one hand and drawing her pistol with the other. "Protect the kid, dammit!"

Meanwhile Raana smirked under her respirator as she fought the fool who proclaimed himself to be a Jedi Knight. "Give up, Padawan Dume!" she yelled. "You cannot win!"

"My name is Kanan Jarrus!" he snapped back. "And I will win!"

Raana shoved Dume back then held him in the air with the Force. Necrosis took advantage of the opportunity and shot him in the head with a stun round. "Don't make a girl a promise if you know you can't keep it."

The boy stood with his lightsaber ignited. "I'm not gonna waste energy running," he said. "I'm gonna protect this kid no matter what!"

The Togruta Inquisitor Force-pushed him. "Brave, but foolish," she lamented. "Surrender the child peacefully and you'll be treated fairly."

"Over my dead body!"

"That can be arranged," Necrosis warned.

Raana felt a presence she hadn't sensed in years, and the door to the hangar opened. It was Ahsoka Tano, her cousin. There were a few other figures, but she paid them no heed.

 _Now_ this _will be a challenge._

The younger woman took off her tactical glasses just to make sure it was Ahsoka. "It's been a long time, Ahsoka," she said.

Ahsoka drew her lightsabers and activated them. Rather than green or blue, the blades were white. "You dress more casual now, Raana," she replied. "A pity you're now a thug for the Empire."

"You dress more elegant now, _cousin_. I'm glad you don't dress like some prostitute, even if you're part of a terrorist organization."

"Ezra, get the youngling to the ship," Ahsoka said, evidently ignoring Raana's jibe for the moment. "I have a family reunion to deal with."

Raana threw her ring lightsaber to the side. "I know spinning won't scare you," she said. "So I'm not going to waste our time." Raana then activated her double bladed lightsaber, a more conventional weapon that was just two regular lightsabers linked together.

"How thoughtful of you!" Ahsoka yelled as she leapt into battle.

The three opponents blade locked, though Necrosis lacked both Raana's agility and Force-sensitivity and thus got pushed away a few times.

"I know why you want the children!" Ahsoka said, striking Raana with her forearm.

"It's for their own good!" Raana shot back, kicking her cousin in the groin in retaliation. "It's for the Empire's good!"

Ahsoka, surprisingly, deactivated her lightsabers, closed her eyes, and knelt.

Just as Raana moved in, hoping to finally end the fight, Ahsoka grabbed her lightsaber and somehow shut off the blades.

"What the-."

Before Raana could finish her sentence, Ahsoka Force-pushed the younger warrior into a pillar.

"Give up, cousin!" Ahsoka said, pointed an ignited lightsaber blade at Raana. "You are beaten!"

Raana laughed, for she could hear reinforcements incoming. "I'm afraid it is you who is beaten, Ahsoka."

Raana activated her ring lightsaber with the Force and pulled it to her, forcing Ahsoka to retreat.

"Jedi Knight!" one of the Civil Protection officers said. "You are under arrest by order of the Imperial Security Act! Surrender, we have you surrounded!"

"Your capture will please both His Imperial Majesty the Great Uniter and Lord Vader," Necrosis said.

"Tell your masters they'll have to wait," Ahsoka said.

Suddenly the police gunships exploded, and Ahsoka leaped towards a rebel ship in the air.

"Captain Zataire!" Raana ordered the CO of HIMS _Lawbringer_ via comlink. "The terrorists are escaping, scramble TIE fighters to intercept!"

Unfortunately, both of the insurgent vessels were able to flee into hyperspace.

The day got even worse when the Civil Protection APC Raana commandeered brought her and Necrosis to the hangar where they had parked their shuttle. The _Sentinel_ -class landing craft was completely destroyed, which made Raana guess that the Human child she had acquired was now in rebel hands.

"Sod it!" she yelled.

Necrosis shook his head. "Thanks to the municipal surveillance network," he said, "I was able to get this recording."

The Colonel promptly used an integrated holotransceiver to show a video recording. "Once I get you back to your mother," the boy said to the Ithorian infant, "maybe you can come live with us on Garel. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

 ***CUT TO: BANK OF ERIADU, ERIADU CITY, ERIADU***

"An _Eriadu_ bank launders money for the Hutts?" Aphra said as she parked.

Offee, who had dyed her black hair brown and adopted hazel contacts for the mission, shook her head. "Even Tarkin's homeworld feels the taint of corruption," she said. "As much as I would love to rub this into the Grand Moff's face, we have to take advantage of this opportunity."

There were four guards at the entrance. One checked IDs, another manned the scanners, and two more had rifles to deter bank robbers.

Unfortunately for the bank and their employees, it was not enough to stop two subordiantes of Darth Vader.

"Name, ma'am?" the first guard asked Offee.

The older woman didn't respond, instead opting to activate a green lightsaber and slice his legs off.

"Shit!" the charge operating the scanners said, sounding an alarm before being Force-pushed into a wall.

Aphra didn't ask questions about the green lightsaber, but the archaeologist knew it was used to avoid identifying her Mirialan superior as an Inquisitor.

Regardless, she didn't think about the matter much and instead drew a heavy blaster pistol and shot one of the two remaining guards while Offee decapitated the other one. The first guy simply lay on the ground screaming in pain.

"Alpha Three to Alpha One," Aphra said via encrypted comlink as they rushed in. "We've entered the bank, expect a lot of police chatter."

"I would expect as much, Alpha Three," Vader responded, his voice distorted for security purposes.

 **ME: A/N: I wanted to use Vader, Barriss, and Aphra in a subplot since they haven't been used that much. Y'all get any ideas for next chapter?**

 **Also, in a way, Necrosis is actually more of a threat than Grievous to the Jedi since he's a droid. That means he's undetectable (compared to organics, at least) unless they can detect/are sensitive to electricity like Callista Massana (who was WAY better written by Karen Traviss than KJA).**

 **Theory: All conventional firearms (I.e. Slugthrowers) used by modern groups like the Empire use caseless ammunition. That would increase ammo capacity, eliminate all the material wasted in casings, and keep hot brass from dropping on your feet.**

 **The Honorable Ones is quite possibly my favorite episode so far, Dave Filoni and crew did a wonderful job of adding complexity to Kallus and this makes up for the twenty-two minutes of bullshit that was The Call and then some. Nice work, Disney.**

 **I admit I kinda skipped over things, but I wanted to get this done ASAP and cut to the best part of the episode-Ahsoka making Fifth and Seventh her bitches. Seriously, those two got owned.** **I figured Ahsoka and Raana would be more evenly matched. Also, it was getting late when I was writing the bank robbery.**

 **If you guys are wondering about where Bell and Galen were, Necrosis and Raana kept them out of the loop for obvious reasons.**

 **I decided to make Vekta and Helghan Mandalorian worlds both to integrate them into Star Wars and because of my good friend Ahsokafanboy1138 supporting it. Also, Vekta being populated by moderates and the Helghast being Near-Humans was his idea.**


	31. Legacy of the Bridgers

**ME: Now time for the rebels to get their collective _shebs_ kicked off of Garel.**

The droid army has now been deactivated by Lord Vader. As a result, the numerical advantage the Separatists possessed is now gone forever. Oh, I am sure there are factories and battle droids that have not been shutdown for whatever reason, but now the clones will definitely be able to put down the Separatist Alliance with extreme prejudice. In the future, insurrectionists against my glorious New Order will probably be organic rebels and thus will most likely not be able to conquer entire worlds due to simple logistics.

 **(His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Sheev Palpatine the Great Uniter, musing on past, present, and current threats around the end of the Clone Wars)**

Diana groaned as a tan-skinned male and a dark-skinned woman hauled her into a _Firefly_ -class transport, her wound still hurting in spite of the bacta patch that had been applied.

"Doc, we got a wounded woman coming onboard!" a man with brown hair shouted via comlink.

"Copy that!" came the reply. "What should I expect, Captain Reynolds?"

"Blaster wound to the upper right thigh as well as blood loss, she was bleeding when we picked her up! Zoe stopped the bleeding via a bacta patch!"

"Understood, I'll prep a blood transfusion!"

Diana was laid down on an operating table. A young man was there, probably "Doc."

"Relax, Miss," he said as the doctor hooked her up to an IV. "You're gonna be fine, now I'm just going to sedate you. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, thanks," she grunted.

He then grabbed a jet injector and injected the sedative directly through her skin. Diana soon lost consciousness after that.

 _"Why are you such a failure?"_

 _Diana avoided making eye contact. "I'm sorry I didn't hit the target, Mother-."_

 _The Governor of Concordia slapped her daughter. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO CALL ME THAT, YOU WEAKLING!" The voice of Diana's voice then lowered, but it did not soften at all. "You are all I have left of your father, a man who died in Death Watch's fight against the_ aruetiise _who had the audacity to call themselves the New Mandalorians! You may have been conceived in an act of love between two Death Watch warriors, but do not think the fact I gave birth to you entitles you to the right to call me_ buir _! Either prove yourself worthy of Clan Merrik, Diana, or get out of my sight!"_

Diana's eyes shot open. She was no longer a child seeking the approval of an abusive parent, but that didn't make the memories hurt any less.

"How are you?"

She turned, startled, and Diana found a young girl looking at her.

"Good, thanks for asking," the young Mandalorian woman answered politely. "My name's Diana." She extended her hand.

The girl shook it, though there was something off about her. "We're not safe," she said. "No one's safe."

"I'm sure we'll be fine," Diana said, trying to reassure the other woman. "What's your name?"

"River. My name is River Tam."

The doctor appeared again. "I'm glad to see you're making friends with my sister, Lieutenant," he said with a smile. "Don't worry, we'll just have to make a few randomized hyperjumps so the bad guys can't find us."

River nodded and looked Diana in the eye. "I'm sorry about what happened to you."

 ***CUT TO: HANGAR BAY, GAREL CITY, GAREL***

Ahsoka, having contacted Master Altis via comlink, handing Alora over to the old man after _Phantom_ landed.

"I can't put into words how grateful I am to have you and your sect help protect the children now that the Order is gone, old friend," the Togruta woman said respectfully. "And no, that is not a dig at your age."

Altis smiled. "No offense taken, _young_ friend. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an infant to dote on."

A Navy SEAL, Lieutenant JG Jason Narville, stepped forward. "Ma'am," he asked, "I heard reports of casualties. Were any SEALs killed or wounded?"

She sighed. "Yes, Lieutenant Narville. Lieutenant Templar, Special Warfare Operator Second Class Natko, and Special Warfare Operator Third Class Garza were all killed. You are in command of your platoon now, Lieutenant Narville, and as such you are now promoted on my authority to your predecessor's rank. You have my condolences for the loss of your three comrades."

"Understood, ma'am," Narville replied. "Thank you, but their deaths weren't in vain. You saved three innocent civilians, General Tano. You're a damn hero, ma'am."

Ahsoka wanted to tell him she wasn't a hero, that she had simply done what needed to be done, but simply nodded politely.

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _EXECUTRIX_ ***

Mara was grateful that Master Offee had deemed her mature enough to attend the meeting, even if she had been advised to keep quiet.

"Garel is a major port and under our control," Admiral Konstantine, the naval officer in charge of the _Relentless_ Battle Group, said. "Surely Moff Shermer's forces would have noticed and dealt with such a large rebel presence, Colonel Necrosis, even in light of their incompetence given the death of Governor Chavez."

"Admiral," the droid member of Military Intelligence said, "rest assured that the evidence is in favor of the terrorists being stronger than imagined. Besides the assassination, via municipal surveillance cameras I discovered one of the terrorists referring to Garel as though he lived there. Then there is the sighting of a Jedi by Agent Visari of the ISB shortly after the assassination, as well as the increased rioting and other violent acts in Garel City even before the assassination."

Lord Vader spoke next. "General Kallus has confirmed your theory, Colonel," he said. "There is a terrorist presence on Garel far beyond a local insurgency; they use multiple spaceports to hide their ships. Clever, but clearly they need to improve their OPSEC."

Governor Tarkin shook his head. "I swear, the rebel terrorists must have done us a favor by killing Chavez!" he snapped. "How hard is it to kill some rabble, the majority of them utter imbeciles who want to restore a corrupt and bloated bureaucracy, and some droids?!"

Before anyone could point out that Colonel Necrosis was both a droid and a competent and loyal Imperial, one of the technicians spoke up. "Lord Vader, we're receiving an encrypted signal for you."

Lord Vader merely tapped at the holotable. The caller appeared to be Grand Master Sa Cuis, head of the Imperial Shadow Guard. "Why must you interrupt important meetings, Cuis?" the Dark Lord said.

Cuis shook his head. "Vader, I am pleased to inform you that you and the Inquisition are _not_ to participate in the attack on Garel."

Mara was ready to seethe at Cuis not addressing Vader respectfully, but she was shocked at the rest of his words.

"Impossible," Lord Vader said. "I am the Emperor's Executor-."

"-and therefore are subordinate to His Imperial Majesty the Great Uniter no matter what you think of me. The _Devastator_ , _Executrix_ , and _Relentless_ Battle Groups will still be sent to Garel to restore order, but you and all members of the Inquisition aboard the _Devastator_ are to head to Eriadu to investigate a bank robbery. A team consisting of some of my best warriors will be sent to Garel in the place of you and your cohorts, Vader, but they will do a much better job. Cuis out."

Mara thought of pointing out to the Shadow Guardsman that it wasn't proper to refer to a ship the way he did, consequences of mouthing off be damned, but Cuis cut the transmission before she could.

"I can't wait for an opportunity to tell that tosser to sod off," Baroness Tano snarled, using Core Worlds Basic profanities that Mara didn't know but knew were inappropriate for polite conversation even if she didn't care for the older Inquisitor's swearing.

"Hopefully you will get one, Baroness," said Lord Vader as the group proceeded to the hangar. "Hopefully you will get one. Until then, you are free to fantasize the moment."

 ***CUT TO: MARKET, GAREL CITY, GAREL***

"Funny," Zeb snarked via comlink, "I haven't seen a single Stormie all day. Repeat, so far only Fed Guard bucketheads and locals so far. Kinda strange, actually."

"Zeb, it's not strange!" Sabine replied. "SOP is for the Empire to pull back Corps patrols prior to a major operation! They're gonna attack!"

Suddenly Zeb's comlink was filled with static, and a flare flew into the air from one of the hangars.

"Oh, karabast!" the Lasat swore. He looked up and saw Imperial ships coming into view.

 _This is gonna suck._

 **ME: A/N: I have an idea in my mind for Chad and Serra's kids; two twin sons and three triplet daughters. Or twin daughters instead of triplets.**

 **Also, you can now imagine Raana as an Inquisitor as sounding at least sorta like the female Sith Inquisitor from SWTOR on Ahsokafanboy1138's suggestion, while as a teenager her voice is closer to Anna Popplewell's. Granted, from what I've seen Popplewell tends to play Nice Girls, to quote TV Tropes, so it makes sense that her voice isn't as mature/threatening most of the time. I swear, I'm the only person on this site who hasn't played any of the SWTOR games or watched walkthroughs (at least extensively, to be more accurate) of them on YouTube.**

 **Also, since Ahsokafanboy1138 theorized that Sabine's at least partially of Mirialan descent (which I'm not opposed to, since he did point out she has yellow skin and the only alternative is her having a permanent cause of jaundice even if she's meant to look Asian like Sato), does anyone else think that Ezra might have, say, some Zeltron blood in him? He does look pretty normal, but the guy does have blue hair.**

 **On a different note, apologies for the short update but I wanted to get something in for you guys. Rest assured the next chapter will be more exciting.**

 **Finally: In light of me currently reading a historical book on Somalia and having not made any tributes lately, this one is dedicated to the men and women who served in Somalia with honor and even gave their lives, partly due to the idiocy of Bill Clinton and Les Aspin, the former's Secretary of Defense. Seriously, Clinton and Aspin sent the troops into danger with their hands tied behind their backs.**


	32. Exodus from Garel

**ME: Normally I'd have gotten an update in for The Future Menace first, but it seems like my good friend Ahsokafanboy1138 didn't like the last chapter that much, so I'm finishing adapting Legacy first kind of as an apology to him.**

Attention citizens, our planet is now under martial law effective immediately. An investigation has discovered that rebel terrorists are attempting to instigate an insurgency on Garel. Please remain calm; the DUP is working with Imperial security forces to restore peace and order.

 **(Director Brooke Augustine, head of the Department of Unified Protection)**

In addition to the Garel Federal Guard and DUP, Colonel Vyktor Kratek (promoted after the death of his predecessor, Colonel Tendon Cobar) and his regiment of Stormtroopers, Blizzard Force, the Five Hundred and First Legion, the One Hundred and Eighty Second Wing, and the One Hundred and Fifth CompForce Division all began attacking the rebels.

A few Alliance Marines and soldiers guarding the hangars used by the anti-Imperial insurgency ended up dying, but those who survived reacted promptly. The rebel guards returned fire and sounded a warning to their comrades.

Alarms blared aboard ships like the rebel corvette _Liberator_. Sailors and Marines awoke, got out of their racks, and prepared for battle. The crew of _Liberator_ did not expect to participate in personal combat but knew their secret hangar had been compromised and thus their ship would need to be ready to flee Garel, while the embarked Marines did not wish to remain aboard a relatively safe vessel while their siblings-in-arms on guard duty fought and died.

"We need covering fire!" said a Marine heavy blaster gunner as he tried to set up an E-Web.

"Copy that, I got you covered!" said a Marine Z06 gunner, who then proceeded to suppress a group of advancing Imperials.

Lieutenant Colonel Rex, having put on his helmet and grabbed a rifle, ran to join the defense of the hangar entrance. "Out of the way, shinies!" yelled the clone veteran. "Let me show you how it's done!"

The first attack of DUP troopers and Federal Guardsmen had failed, prompting waves of CompForce soldiers to charge. What the soldiers in black and white lacked in skill, they made up for in numbers and sheer fanaticism.

"Colonel Rex to General Tano, come in," Rex said as he fired from behind the cover of a blast shield. "Ma'am, do you copy? Over."

After killing five CompForce troopers, Rex switched to his pistols and tried contacting the former Jedi Commander again. "Ahsoka, do you read me?" he said.

"Loud and clear, Rex," came the reply. "Don't worry, I just had to commandeer a certain ship known as _Blade Wing_."

The old soldier smiled under his helmet. General Ahsoka Tano of the Alliance to Restore the Republic in a heavy assault fighter against dozens of TIEs?

The odds were clearly against the Empire.

 ***CUT TO: HALLWAY, HANGAR COMPLEX, GAREL CITY***

"Zeb, head this way!" Kanan yelled as he and Ezra fired at the DUP soldiers. "We'll cover you!"

Both Zeb and Chopper moved over, but the rebels were still in danger. "We're pinned down!" Ezra said.

Suddenly they heard screams, and the quartet turned to see Kallus and two other ISB Agents had killed a few other rebels. "We have them pinned, Lord Cuis!" Kallus said as he and his fellow Agents advanced. "I repeat, we have Targets Jarrus and Bridger! Over."

Activating his lightsaber in spite of Kanan's protests, Ezra charged the three ISB officers. Immediately the trio of Imperials opened fire on him, but he deflected the rounds at weak points in the armor of Kallus's two allies. Both went down, while their stern and merciless superior continued onward, firing at Ezra.

Not wanting to let anyone delay him returning to Lothal, Ezra deflected a round and sent it towards Kallus's chest, knocking the ISB agent down. He grunted in pain and drew a sidearm as he got up, only for the officer of COMPNOR to be Force-pushed into a wall.

"That was impressive," Zeb commented, having succeeded in killing or wounding all the DUP troops that had pursued him.

"I taught him everything he knows," Kanan said, proud of his Padawan.

"Well, hello there!"

Ezra turned on his heel, angry at the possibility of having to waste time that could be spent finding his parents. "You are not gonna get in my way!" he snapped.

"Well, then," a stout man in black armor said, "come and prove it, young man!"

The young Padawan ignited his lightsaber and charged, prompting the stout man and his four cohorts to activate their blades of red plasma in response.

"Ezra!" Kanan yelled. When his student ignored him, he aimed his pistol at the door controls and fired, separating Ezra from the five Dark Jedi in black outfits.

Ezra pounded on the door in frustration as Kanan tried to comfort him. "Ezra," he said, "I know how important getting back to Lothal is for you."

"No, Kanan!" Ezra yelled. "Actually, you don't know what this is like!"

If Kanan had done that as a Padawan, he likely would have been scolded by Master Billaba. But he simply nodded and said, "You're right." He sighed. "I never knew my parents."

Immediately Ezra regretted his harsh words. "Kanan, I'm sorry," he said. "I was being an asshole."

"Hey, you're a teenager," he replied. "That's just common. I never knew my parents, so it's too late for me. But it's not too late for you."

"It's gonna be too late for all of us if we don't get back to _Ghost_!" Zeb said.

"All right, come on! We'll take the long way around!" Passing Chopper, Kanan made sure to say, "Way to have our backs, Chop."

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF ARRS _LIBERATOR_ ***

" _Ghost_ to _Liberator_ , give me some good news," Captain Syndulla said via comlink.

"We are employing Escape Plan Delta, Captain Syndulla," Commodore Ackbar responded. "Interrogative: Are you ready? Over."

"Almost, sir," she replied. "We just need to pick up the rest of Spectre Team."

"Inform us as soon as you are airborne, then," Ackbar said. "We need the Fleet to launch ASAP, waiting on the ground will just leave us vulnerable to bombardment by the Imperial Navy."

"Acknowledged, Commodore!"

"Fleet Actual, this is Colonel Karlson," said the leader of the Alliance Army units on Garel. "I have a squadron of airspeeders standing by. As soon as you launch, just give the word and I'll scramble them."

"Roger that." The Mon Calamari officer knew that the T-47 airspeeders could only do so much and likely would be wiped out, but their pilots had chosen to put their lives on the line and a squadron of corvettes and a regiment of Marines was more than worth a squadron of T-47s.

Captain H'Arman spoke up. "Sir, shields and the main reactor are online and the Marines are withdrawing. _Liberator_ is ready to go."

" _Ghost_ taking off, over," Captain Syndulla said after a minute.

Ackbar immediately addressed Phoenix Fleet and the transports. "All ships, this is Ackbar," he said. "Initiate launch, I say again, launch immediately. Colonel Karlson, launch your airspeeders. I say again, scramble your squadron."

The Alliance Navy vessels all rose into the air and began to head for space. TIEs started to engage the starships, but in addition to _Liberator's_ eight turbolasers she, along with the other four corvettes, had been recently armed with six laser cannons and four ion cannons and thus was able to give the Imperial pilots a run for their credits. The T-47s along with the Z-95s of Escort Squadron helped fight the TIEs as well, but the airspeeders were unshielded and thus more vulnerable.

"This is General Tano. Commodore Ackbar, Captain Syndulla, focus on getting the Fleet clear. I'll provide the Imps a distraction. Tano out."

 ***CUT TO: _BLADE WING_ ***

Ahsoka flew _Blade_ into battle with the radar and targeting lasers offline. After all, sensors were less necessary when one had the Force and she didn't want to warn the Imperials.

The Togruta Jedi lined up a TIE bomber in her sights and opened fire with her four laser cannons. The results were predictable, though Ahsoka did not expect for the bomber to be shielded.

 _These guys must be part of an elite unit._

The surviving bomber ceased attacking rioters and fled with its two escorts, while the two TIE fighters escorting the downed bomber turned to fight Ahsoka.

However, the former Padawan of Anakin Skywalker knew to take advantage of her opportunities when she saw them. Ahsoka fired on the left solar panels of the closest TIE, causing the nimble fighter to spin out of control. The second one opened fire, but she was able to dodge and shoot it down.

Ahsoka felt a presence she hadn't sensed in years, but it wasn't another Jedi. It felt like a Dark Jedi's.

 _It's Anakin's brother, Chad._

Ahsoka snarled and cursed the Dark Jedi even though she wasn't transmitting her insults. _You want me, you Sith minion?! Come and get me!_

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _DEVASTATOR_ ***

"Admiral Thrawn," a sensor technician said, "the terrorist ships have launched."

"Scan for the ship that has the most comm traffic going to and from it," ordered the Chiss officer. "That will be their flagship."

Montferrat smiled. Thrawn was an enigmatic figure, but he could guess what the Rear Admiral was planning. "Lieutenant Zataire, prepare a tractor beam. I believe Admiral Thrawn wishes to catch the leadership of these filthy terrorists."

Thrawn nodded politely at Montferrat. "Congratulations, Captain. While we are unable to fire on the warships of these rebel insurgents, I intend to make the most out of this engagement."

"Tractor beam ready, sir," Lieutenant Zataire said.

Thrawn: "Good work, my dear." He tapped at the holotable. "Order the operator to target the corvette designated as Alpha Two, that is the insurgent flagship."

 ***CUT TO: COCKPIT OF _GHOST_ ***

Hera flew back to save _Liberator_ , which held Rex, Ackbar, Ahsoka's bodyguards, and Diana (the latter recovering from being shot in the leg).

"Sabine, you got any ideas?" Hera asked.

The Mandalorian girl frowned. "We don't have any missiles or torpedoes," she said. "So my vote-we intensify the particle shields and ram the tractor beam."

"We WHAT?!" Zeb said from the turret, clearly not in favor of Sabine's idea.

Hera sighed. "We don't have a choice, Zeb. There are hundreds if not a thousand or more people aboard _Liberator_ , it's a risk we have to take."

The Twi'lek Commander proceeded to strengthen the forward particle shields and accelerate her freighter, knowing that in physics force equaled mass times acceleration and if there was a hull breach, _Ghost_ wouldn't be spaceworthy and thus they would all be screwed. Assuming they survived ramming the ImpStar, of course, to discover a hull breach.

"Captain Syndulla, get out of here!" yelled Commodore Ackbar. "That's an order!"

"You can court-martial me later, sir," she replied. "Just stand by to activate your thrusters!"

"Understood, Syndulla!" Captain H'Arman said. "Be advised: You got TIEs on your tail, look like cloud cars!"

Hera frowned and told him, "Thanks, H'Arman." TIE combat cloud cars were replacing conventional TIE/LN fighters, the main TIE design, in the Imperial Army. Though unable to go into space, cloud cars were superior to conventional airspeeders and were cheaper than starfighters and performed better in atmospheric environments by design.

Evading the green particle bolts of the TIEs, Hera successfully rammed the tractor beam projector.

"We're clear, Hera!" Rex said. "Thanks for the assistance, we owe you guys drinks!"

Hera wondered if Sabine should be allowed alcohol.

 ***CUT TO: TRANSPORT ONE** *

"Sir, we're caught in a tractor beam!" said the helmsman.

The Lieutenant Commander sighed. The Immobilizer 418's gravity well projectors were preventing a retreat, and to add insult to injury said Immobilizer had successfully captured Transport One.

"Got it," he said, knowing the price they were all about to pay. "This is Transport One, we have been captured and are initiating self-destruct. I repeat, we are detonating our fusion reactor. All units, get clear to avoid the blast radius. I say again, get clear of our blast radius. Transport One out."

The actual commander of Transport One looked at him. "Sir, what you just said via comm...that violates basic physics."

The Lieutenant Commander smiled sadly. "I know, Lieutenant. But we have a nuke onboard, and I'm gonna use it to take the Immobilizer with us."

The bridge crew were all shocked but no one objected. By detonating the nuclear weapon, they would not only avoid capture and likely torture, but also enable the rest of the fleet to escape at the cost of their own lives.

 _Worth it._

The Lieutenant Commander went down to the cargo hold and armed the device. It was a pure fusion weapon that did not need fissile material as a fusion trigger, instead using induced gamma emission to compress the fusion fuel of the warhead. The bomb was excavation-grade and thus meant to be used in asteroid mining, but it would do the job.

"Sir, they've secured us with docking clamps!"

"Copy, Lieutenant," he replied simply. "I'll see you on the other side, Forcespeed."

"Same here, sir."

The Imps started to cut their way through the airlock, but the Lieutenant Commander would have none of it. He simply slammed the button for the nuke and closed his eyes.

The detonation did not just annihilate the GR-75 medium transport; it completely destroyed the Immobilizer 418 as well. The rebels, now no longer having to deal with the artificial gravity of the Interdictor cruiser, promptly fled into hyperspace.

Tarkin scowled from the bridge of his flagship, the Imperial Star Destroyer HIMS _Executrix_. The rebels had been driven off Garel and their local allies were being defeated, true, but the Imperial Navy had lost a valuable warship in the process and the squadron of rebel corvettes had successfully escaped.

"Governor Tarkin," said his second-in-command, "a rebel fighter I was pursuing fled into hyperspace. I believe the pilot is a Jedi, should I pursue?"

"Negative, Count Vader," Tarkin ordered. "I don't want you heading into an ambush, land and lead your troops into battle. Tarkin out."

Rear Admiral Alex Grey, the Commander of the _Executrix_ Battle Group, reported that no survivors from HIMS _Immobilizer_ had been detected. Rear Admiral Konstantine of the _Relentless_ Battle Group, responsible for dealing with the rabble outside of Garel City, reported that the uprisings had been defeated. Lieutenant General Cody, charged with pacifying Garel City, reported that resistance was still strong but was now beginning to falter.

"Well done, everyone," Tarkin said. "These criminals shall soon be gone forever thanks to your efforts. I will now inform His Imperial Majesty of our success."

 ***CUT TO: _PHANTOM_ , EXITING HYPERSPACE NEAR LOTHAL***

To Kanan's relief, there were no Star Destroyers in orbit around Lothal.

"Good to see Lothal without the Imperial Starfleet around for a change," Kanan said.

When Ezra didn't respond, he looked over his shoulder. "Hey, why so quiet?" he asked, wondering if something was wrong.

"Thank you, Kanan," said Ezra. "Thank you for everything you've done for me. You've always been there when I needed you the most."

"Hey, I know what it's like to lose someone close to me. I didn't have anyone after my master died, and I don't want you to be alone like I was, regardless of how this turns out."

Kanan landed _Phantom_ and told Chopper to keep an eye on the fighter. Ezra decided to start searching at his former home, which they discovered to be abandoned.

"But I don't understand!" Ezra said. "My vision led me back here to Lothal. If my parents aren't here, where are they? What happened to them?"

"Slow down," Kanan said. "The Force is trying to tell you something, so listen to it."

Ezra closed his eyes and did as Kanan directed before a white loth-cat appeared.

"Kanan, that's an albino loth-cat!" he said. "Just like in my vision. Here, loth-cat. Good loth-cat..."

A chase ensued, which ended with Ezra (quite foolishly) yelling at an Imperial speeder bike driver to stop.

"Ezra, are you crazy?" his mentor snapped. "There might not be as many Stormies around, but there are still enough bucketheads to ruin our day!"

"Relax, Kanan," Ezra said. "I can track it."

"The cat? You've grown powerful if you can track a loth-cat with the Force."

"The Force? I planted a tracker on it, Kanan."

Ezra's master sighed. "Of course you did."

The two got back to _Phantom_ and followed the tracker, which eventually stopped in the mountains. Kanan landed and disembarked with Ezra, where they found both the loth-cat and the speeder bike.

"Where's the driver?" Ezra asked.

Suddenly a slugthrower round struck _Phantom_. "Get down!" Kanan yelled.

Ezra caught a glance of the sniper as he fled to cover. "It's him!" he exclaimed, recognizing the man from his vision. "ORT-dash-X-ten, we're friends!"

"That ain't my name, bounty hunter!" the man snapped back. "That was your warning shot, now beat it before I put the second round between your eyes!"

Ezra's instincts screamed at him to heed Prisoner ORT-X10's warning and run, but he had to learn what happened to his parents, so the Padawa raised his hands in a gesture of good will and stepped into view. "Listen, I now that. I know that you were imprisoned by the Empire. My name is Ezra, Ezra Bridger. I know you probably don't know me, but I believe that you knew my parents. Ephraim and Mira Bridger."

The man didn't shoot Ezra and in fact took off his hat. "My name is Ryder Azadi," he said. "You're correct, kid. I did know the Bridgers."

Ezra, Kanan, and Chopper joined Azadi at his hideout, where he kept a tied up Imperial Combat Driver. "I knocked her out when she came poking around here," the old man explained. "Don't worry, I haven't taken advantage of her captivity. I have every reason to not treat Imperials well, but there are lines no man should cross."

"Got it," Kanan said, keeping an eye on the unconscious soldier. "How did you get out?"

Azadi smiled. "I have Ezra to thank for that," he said. "His broadcast somehow reached even the Empire's reeducation camps and secret prisons. His parents recognized his voice and words and felt proud. As a result, they rallied the other prisoners and initiated a successful breakout."

"Where are they?" Ezra asked. "What happened to them?"

The old man's face fell. "I'm sorry, Ezra," he said, "but they died. Ephraim and Mira grabbed blasters and stayed behind to hold off the Imps after telling me to get everyone else to safety. I tried to get them them to flee, but they wouldn't escape unless the others were safe. So I got the others out."

Ezra broke down and began to cry, prompting both Chopper and Kanan to comfort him.

The Lothalian rebel lamented alone as the two moons of his homeworld began to set.

Suddenly he saw a city on Lothal, grand and white. It was also daytime now, not night.

"Beautiful, isn't it, son?" his father asked.

"Yeah," Ezra asked, confused but happy. "Why are you here, Dad? Azadi told me you and Mom were dead."

"Life doesn't cease at death, Ezra," Mom said. "It merely changes form, so our souls are still alive. You've made us so proud, but remember this: Without hope, there is nothing."

"I will, Mom," Ezra said. "I'm glad to have made you guys proud."

"Thank you, Ezra. You're a great young man."

 ***CUT TO: ERIADU CITY, ERIADU***

Bell groaned in annoyance as they checked the bank, which had been cordoned off by local police. "Of all the assignments in the galaxy," she muttered under her breath, "we get stuff cops can handle."

"There was a lightsaber involved," Raana said, inspecting the damage. "A _Jedi_ did this. So this does warrant our attention somewhat."

Both Vader and Barriss neglected to mention that the latter was the Mirialan with the lightsaber. What their subordinates did not need to know would not be told to them.

Suddenly Vader's personal holotransceiver beeped. He took it out and found it was Agent Kallus who had contacted him. "Report, General," he said.

"My lord," Kallus said reverently, "it appears the Great Uniter's faith in the Shadow Guard has been misplaced. Cuis and his team failed, so the Emperor has ordered you and your Inquisitors to return to the fleet. The last remaining terrorists on Garel are being eliminated by the Five Hundred and First, among others."

"Thank you, Agent Kallus," Vader replied. "Vader out."

Jerec smiled and put a hand on his apprentice's shoulder. "It will be good to get to Garel, Commander Leonis," he said. "Think of all the sights to see!"

"Shut up, Jerec," Serra snapped. "No one likes you."

Vader smiled under his mask.

 **ME: A/N: Considering how Phoenix Fleet is just a squadron of corvettes, I wondered if** **they should be called Phoenix Squadron like they are in the show. Granted, Fleet sounds more impressive for morale purposes.**

 **I had the speeder biker as knocked out to explain what happened.**

 **I figure the only reason Konstantine didn't have his Star Destroyers shoot down every other rebel corvette besides _Liberator_ was to avoid collateral damage (more for PR reasons/avoiding deating with damage and casualties than anything else). Granted, there is Plot Armor. Not to mention the fact that the TIEs DID shoot down a rebel shuttle in canon.**

 **Also, apparently Ahsoka is a Statesque Stunner like Raana and is 1.88 meters/6'2 according to Wookieepedia.**

 **I decided to lampshade the fact Palpatine ordered Vader and his Inquisitors to investigate a bank robbery on Eriadu given Ahsokafanboy1138's skepticism. In case you guys were wondering, even though both Aphra and Barriss disguised themselves the fact that Barriss used a lightsaber got Palps's attention.**

 **Additionally, while Chad isn't as bad off as his namesake (who works at a grocery store, even though I haven't seen all the episodes), he isn't as impressive as his brother, has CompForce guys for his henchmen instead of Stormtrooper Elite Mooks, and is fully subordinate to Tarkin as his Dragon.**

 **The blast shields are inspired by the ones from the Order 66 arc of TCW. I remember clones using shields for moving cover when they were fighting through droids on a space station. Considering how Hollywood Tactics are prevalent in Star Wars, it was great to see something that made sense. Granted, the Order 66 arc never made aired on television, which is probably how that slipped by.**

 **In case you guys were wondering, the two other ISB Agents with Kallus were Jeffren Bek (now promoted to Captain) and Maya.**

 **ARRS means "Alliance to Restore the Republic Ship."**

 **As the 181st bombing the rioters shows, unlike Vancouver or Ferguson riots are likely to be broken up by lethal force, not coddled.**

 **Also, does anyone else notice that Kallus, Seventh, Fifth, and Tarkin's chestplates actually don't cover much compared to modern ballistic vests/flak jackets?**

 **Speaking of Fifth and Seventh, I wonder if I should include them as Shadow Guards. Perhaps as part of the team that accompanied Cuis. Though if they do appear, Ahsoka would still kick their asses *spoilers for RVB* like how Tex mopped the floor with the Reds.**

 **The title of this chapter is an intentional reference to a level from Halo Reach, which itself was named after a certain part of Biblical history. Hint: It involved escaping from Egypt. Considering how this was finished on a Saturday night, right before Sunday, I think it's quite appropriate, especially since the rebels fled Garel.**


	33. A Princess on Lothal

**ME: Time for me to adapt "A Princess on Lothal."**

I do wonder how Minister Tua is doing now that our military presence on Lothal has been reduced.

 **(Agent David Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau)**

Hera was saddened but she was not surprised at the news. "How's he taking it?" she asked her husband.

"As well as you'd expect," Kanan answered. "You and I both knew Ezra might not get the news he wanted to hear about his parents."

She nodded and turned to the former President of Lothal, Ryder Azadi. "President Azadi," Hera said, "thank you for standing with the Bridgers for so long."

"Not sure if that accomplished anything," said Azadi. "Things don't seem to be any better here on Lothal."

"That may be true," she admitted, "but we hope to change that in the future, Mr. President." Hera then turned to Kanan. "Speaking of which, Senator Organa heard about our losses when the Empire atracked us on Garel. He's sending reinforcements; his agent's en route to Lothal with three Hammerhead corvettes."

"Three ships?" Kanan said. "That is good news. A mission like this is just what Ezra needs."

"I hope you're right," Hera said. "Listen, first opportunity we get, I'll get us to Lothal so we can help. Spectre Two out."

She then went down to the medbay and checked on Diana, who was recovering from being shot in the leg and trying to start walking again.

"Dammit!" the young Mandalorian woman hissed in pain as she nearly fell to her knees, only for Sabine to grab her.

"Easy, _ner vod_ ," Sabine said. "Just take it easy."

"I'm not your _sister_ ," Diana replied, probably annoyed at both Sabine and her injury. "Just because I don't want to put a particle bolt through your skull anymore doesn't mean we're buddy-buddy now, Wren."

Hera sighed. "Look, Diana," she said, "you were shot in the leg. There's gonna be damage, so I suggest you just let it heal for now."

"Agreed," said a medical droid, TB-2. "Lieutenant Merrik, if you wish to walk again, you need to continue resting for now or your leg will not properly heal. I am sorry, but it appears that your wound will need more time to recover than was expected."

Diana grumbled but turned around to comply. However, Hera didn't want the young pilot to risk damaging her leg, so despite the Concordian girl's protests she and Sabine helped her into bed.

"Would you like some water?" Hera asked.

 ***CUT TO: HAMMERHEAD CORVETTE APPROACHING LOTHAL***

Representative Leia Organa of the Imperial Senate swallowed and cleared her throat as the three Hammerheads exited hyperspace.

 _Remember, you are not on your way to aid rebel insurgents. You are merely in charge of an Alderaanian convoy bringing relief supplies to the citizens of Lothal._

"Unidentified ships, this is the Imperial Navy," a faux Core accent hailed Leia and her fellow Alderaanians. "You have entered restricted space, proceed to identify yourselves immediately or you will be fired upon."

Leia responded immediately. "This is Crown Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, I am a Representative of the Imperial Congress. My ships are inbound with food and medical supplies for the people of Lothal."

"Please transmit your clearance codes, Miss Organa," the Imperial said, sounding noticeably less arrogant but still haughty.

"Transmitting now, Navy," Leia replied as the communications technician did as asked.

After a few minutes of silence, they were hailed via the HoloNet. A dark skinned Human woman in an Imperial officer's uniform appeared.

"Representative Organa," said the woman, who if nothing else _sounded_ polite, "this is Governor West. Your convoy is cleared to land at the Jalath Depot, I am sending coordinates to your ships now. I'll meet you there to oversee the processing of your vessels and supplies personally. In the meantime, fighters will escort you into the atmosphere. I look forward to meeting the youngest member of the Imperial Congress, Your Highness."

"Thank you, Governor," Leia responded, keeping her voice level. "I look forward to seeing you as well. Organa out."

 ***CUT TO: JALATH CITY DEPOT, LOTHAL***

Though Ezra wished President Azadi had joined the rebellion, he was grateful for him giving him and Kanan the speeder bike he stole from a hapless Imperial scout trooper. Now the two observed the three ships coming in while disguised as an Imperial cadet and a Stormtrooper.

"Those are our reinforcements?" Ezra complained. "Some old transports?"

"Beggars can't be choosers, kid," Kanan said.

They ran up to the middle transport just as it lowered its ramp, and a few adult crew members walked out along with a teenage girl who was shorter than Ezra but looked more mature and older to some extent,

Ezra coughed before lifting his faceplate. "Um, excuse me, Miss?" he asked the girl. "Where's your CO?"

"Not much of a welcoming committee," the girl commented.

Kanan promptly removed his helmet. "I'm Colonel Kanan Jarrus," he told her. "We're here for the reinforcements for Phoenix Fleet."

"I know who you are. And unless you want every Stormtrooper from here to Carida to know as well, I suggest you keep your helmets on and mouths shut."

"Excuse me?" Ezra replied.

"You heard her," Kanan ordered as he put his helmet back on. "Shut it."

Ezra frowned in annoyance but complied and lowered his faceplate.

"Trooper," Leia asked a Stormtrooper with an orange shoulder pauldron, "I'd like to start offloading the relief aid."

"Ma'am," the Stormtrooper replied politely, "we have orders to scan your vessels for contraband and keep them secure until Governor West arrives. Please stand by, ma'am. She should be here in a few minutes, Representative Organa."

A few technicians in light gray jumpsuits moved around with scanning equipment, trying to detect contraband on the Alderaanian ships.

"Well," Kanan commented, "this plan's off to a good start."

"As a matter of fact," Leia said in response to his sarcasm, "things are going perfectly according to plan. By the way, where's the rest of your unit?"

"They'll be here eventually, Miss," Ezra told her. I think. _Wait, you can be a Representative of the Imperial Congress at_ fifteen _? Some jackasses don't take me seriously and I'm fifteen!_

 _Wait...that actually sounds like something the Empire would do._

"Good!" the teenage woman said. "Then you can steal my ships!"

"What?!"

Before Leia could explain, a _Sentinel_ -class landing craft came into view and landed.

"I'll explain later," she told Padawan and Knight, "first I have to deal with the local Governor. Follow my lead and try to keep up."

"Wait, how come she gets to give orders?!" Ezra asked Kanan. "I don't get to give orders and I worked my ass off to earn a promotion to Lance Corporal!"

"Kid, do you ever listen to yourself?" Kanan replied.

"Yes, and I am, objectively, very interesting."

Governor Kira West showed up, followed by Minister Maketh Tua and Colonel Yogar Lyste and an escort of ten Stormtroopers.

"You must be Representative Leia Organa, Crown Princess of Alderaan," West said politely.

"Yes, I am the daughter of my father, Senator Bail Organa, and my mother, Queen Breha Organa," Leia replied. "I come bearing food and medical supplies from my people for Lothal's needy who are suffering terribly as a result of the rebel insurgency here. Surely you don't want innocents to starve, Governor?"

"No, of course not," West said, seemingly sincere. "Lothal has indeed suffered, as has Alderaan. From what Colonel Lyste tells me, your ships have an unfortunate habit of falling into thieving terrorist hands."

"That is true, ma'am," said Lyste. "I assure you, Your Highness, that won't happen on my watch."

A ground lock appeared and latched onto one of the Hammerheads, securing it to the planet.

"Ground locks?" asked Leia. "Governor, measures like these are entirely unnecessary! Overkill, even!"

"One saying I remember from my days in the Academy, Your Highness," West replied. "'Overkill is underrated.' But in one way, you are correct. Alone, ground locks will not stop the rebels from stealing your ships. So we have ordered a Stormtrooper detachment to secure the area, as well as..."

Two _Gozanti_ -class cruisers moved in. One carried a pair of AT-ATs, the other a platoon of four AT-DPs.

"...walkers," West finished as the two freighters dropped off their loads.

"Do not fret, my dear," Minister Tua tried to console the Princess, whose back was turned on the Imperials. "Let me assure you that this is all for the safety of yourself and the crews of your ships."

"It's, 'Your Highness!'" Leia snapped. "While my ships are detained, I will require the use of Governor West's shuttle to being my work."

" _My_ shuttle?" West asked. "Surely I could arrange for other transportation, Your Highness."

"No, _your_ shuttle! I need to leave immediately!" The Imperial Representative turned to Ezra and Kanan. "You two, come with me!"

"Yes, ma'am! Right away, ma'am!"

Luckily enough, the shuttle of Governor West did not have a pair of pilots onboard, which allowed the trio of rebels to take off and talk freely.

"I hate to admit it," Kanan said, glad his helmet was off, "but whoever came up with this plan severely underestimated the Empire's security."

"I'm sorry," Leia said.

"Hey, don't be. Miss Organa, it's not your fault."

"Actually, it is," she said. "This was my plan."

"We need those ships," said Ezra. "Why didn't you just hand them off to us in deep space?"

"It's not that simple, you don't understand," Leia explained with a sigh. "If the Empire could prove Alderaan supplied ships to rebels, Palpatine would unleash Vader on us."

"But if we stole them while they were under Imperial protection, Alderan would be blameless," Kanan realized. "It was a good idea, kid. Not a bad plan."

"But now we need a new one," Leia pointed out.

Suddenly Chopper contacted Ezra via comlink, saying Stormtroopers had arrived.

"Fierfek."

Kanan landed near _Phantom_. Ryder Azadi had been taken captive by a squad of Stormtroopers, and a fuming Scout trooper stood nearby

"Hold it, Private," the Sergeant in charge of the squad told him. "This is a restricted area, what are you three doing here?"

Kanan: "I'm taking Representative Organa here on a scouting mission for refugee relocation."

"You need to leave immediately," the Sergeant warned. "This area is too dangerous for a civilian and a cadet."

"Sir," Ezra said, "we brought the Princess here from Jalath. If you want, we can take your prisoner along."

The Sergeant tapped at his helmet and acknowledged some unseen superior. "Thanks, Cadet, but it won't be necessary. We just received orders to terminate this waste of flesh immediately."

Leia stepped forward. "Trooper, I am a Representative of the Imperial Senate!" she said. "I demand to know what this man has done to warrant an extrajudicial execution."

"This criminal is an escaped fugitive convicted of treason and sedition, ma'am," the Sergeant said. "Now please depart immediately for your own safety."

Suddenly Hera showed up with _Ghost_ and opened fire.

"More friends of yours?" Leia asked.

"Hey, I'm a likable guy!" Kanan answered.

 ***CUT TO: JALATH CITY DEPOT, JALATH, LOTHAL***

"Ma'ams," Lyste said, "the technicians have discovered no evidence of contraband."

"Good work, Colonel," Governor West replied, pleased at the progress of his scanning crews. "Inform the Alderaanians they may now offload their supplies."

"Right away, Governor."

"Governor West!" a panicked NCO said to her via comlink. "My squad was attacked by rebels, they escaped with the fugitive Ryder Azadi! Additionally, they abducted a Stormtrooper, a cadet, and an Imperial Representative!"

West nearly dropped her comlink. "She's under our protection!" she yelled. "Tell me everything you know now, Sergeant! I'll scramble search patrols!"

After what had happened to her predecessor, the Planetary Governor was certain Grand Moff Tarkin would personally garrote her for losing royalty.

 ***CUT TO: _GHOST_ ***

"Listen, Princess," Ezra said, politely as he could, "I appreciate what you've done for us. But why fight? You don't have to."

"I believe that because I can fight," Leia replied, "I'm obligated to do so for those who cannot. I think you feel the same way, and your parents would be proud of you for that."

"Thank you."

The odds were against Spectre Team, but Leia pointed out that it was because the Empire did not underestimate them. Sabine suggested using detonators to free the Hammerheads, only for President Azadi to state that deactivating the ground locks would work better. When asked why he knew that, the deposed democratically elected leader of Lothal said, "I did a stint in a reeducation camp, they made us work on ground locks. So I know how to take them apart."

"It's a good thing we still got our disguises," Ezra said, knowing they would have to get as close to the transports as possible.

 ***CUT TO: JALATH CITY DEPOT, JALATH, LOTHAL***

Lyste checked his sidearm as the starfighter landed. The fact it was one of a model used by rebels was cause to have it shot down, but it was traveling at too slow of a vector to attack and it did not attack at all.

Governor West had ordered their blasters set to stun, but all the Imperials were surprised when the Representative had emerged with her hands up and screaming, "Hold your fire! Hold your fire!"

"Ma'am, you escaped?" Lyste asked, stunned.

"The Stormtrooper and cadet got me out," she explained. "The trooper deserves a medal, the cadet an appointment to the Royal Academy on Coruscant."

"Well I'm glad to see you're alright, Princess Organa," said Governor West. "As you can see, your ships are-."

"-lifting off?!" Leia asked, managing to sound angry as Sabine successfully flew away in the first ship.

"Oh, come on!" Lyste complained as he opened fire.

Ezra and Kanan promptly attacked, knocking out West, Lyste, and their ten Stormtroopers. It helped that Kanan punched with cybernetic hands and was using the Force to strengthen his punches when need be. Hera strafed the walkers; she did not destroy the AT-ATs, but all four of the AT-DPs were destroyed.

"I'll get the walkers, you two secure the third ship!" Kanan said as he ran off towards the AT-AT. Igniting his lightsaber, he sliced through the right legs, causing it to fall over.

Ryder Azadi got to the bridge of the second ship, activated the engines and shields, then promptly rammed the second AT-AT.

"Thanks for the ships, Princess," Ezra said gratefully as he made it to the ramp of the third transport.

Leia grabbed his hands. "We have to make this look good," she whispered before yelling, "Stop these terrorists! They're stealing my ships!"

"Oh, kriff," Ezra realized.

"You have my permission," Leia whispered.

"Sorry," he said before kneeing her in the groin.

Leia groaned in pain as she fell to the dirt and Ezra ran away. It may have been necessary, but she certainly didn't have to fake being in pain.

"The Princess!" Lyste yelled, genuinely concerned.

The twelve Imperials ran to Leia as the third Hammerhead flew away. Both the Governor and her Colonel knew their careers were at risk.

"I sincerely apologize for this, Your Highness," Governor West said. "I assure you, Alderaan will be compensated for your stolen ships."

Leia was tempted to smile, but it would have blown her cover.

 _Besides,_ she thought, _now I know how boys feel._

 **ME: I finished Outbound Flight today on a plane ride. That's right-I just finished reading my first Timothy Zahn story.**

 **Happy belated Saint Patrick's Day to all of you. Despite having Irish blood courtesy of my paternal grandfather (who I visited this spring break), I did NOT drink any whiskey. Haven't actually had any alcohol in my life.**

 **I know Azadi was a Governor canonically, not a President, but I decided to have him as President to show the Empire interfering with Lothal's local government.**

 **Rumors abound of Mara Jade or an Expy of her being in Rogue One.**

 **Apologies for the update being late, it was uncomfortable to work at my grandparents' place in Canada. Also, sorry if things felt rushed, I wanted to get this done ASAP.**

 **Girls apparently go through puberty earlier than guys. Plus while Ezra is apparently taller than Leia canonically, she probably had a better diet growing up.**

 **One guy commented on YouTube how it was like the Spectres were playing GTA: Star Wars edition and their wanted level gradually went up. He even came up with examples (which I have edited):**

 **One star-they got Aresko, Grint, Rudor, Lyste, and their subordiantes, with Lyste and his Stormtroopers actually being relatively competent.**

 **Two stars-they got Kallus and his group.**

 **Three stars-they got Inky (I refuse to call him the Grand Inquisitor) and his group; he apparently had Elite Mooks assigned to him, and his personal TIE pilots (who wore gray uniforms) all survived until they left the atmosphere while pursuing Hera during the events of Empire Day.**

 **Four stars-Tarkin and his black pauldron wearing Stormtroopers showed up, then the Grand Moff forced Inky to decapitate Aresko and Grint in front of Kallus and Tua.**

 **Five stars-After Tarkin screwed up and lost a Star Destroyer and Inky, Vader showed up.**

 **I do wonder what would or should be the wanted level system for this story...**

 **Also, what do you guys think of this Five-Bad Band for Season One?**

 **Tarkin: The Big Bad. Reason? He's Governor of the Outer Rim and therefore has authority over the main Imperial characters, plus they named a refugee camp after him for a reason.**

 **Inky: The Dragon. Reason? He served as the most physically dangerous antagonist in Season One and was relatively high ranking even though he remained subordinate to Tarkin and Vader.**

 **Trayvis: The Evil Genius. Reason? He did essentially bait rebels into traps while posing as an exiled politician.**

 **Kallus: The Brute. Reason? He was the most frequently appearing antagonist in Season One and essentially functioned as a Mook Lieutenant.**

 **Tua: The Dark Chick. Reason? She was pretty much the Token Good Teammate of the Imperials since her worst crime was trying to buy banned weapons.**


	34. Supply Convoys

**ME: Time for a reference to a great scene from Season One and a reference to the Kanan comic series. I hope you guys enjoyed your Easter.**

Understand this; as a Confederate, I fought for freedom...but put my trust in a corrupt leadership.

 **(General Kleeve, speaking on his service as an officer of the Confederate Army)**

The rebel insurgents had been chased off of Garel, Tarkin reflected, but he was annoyed that the capital of the Lothal sector had hosted so many insurrectionists in spite of the Imperial garrison there. If those in charge had not known, they were guilty of criminal incompetence. If those in charge knew of the terrorist presence, they were guilty of aiding and abetting enemies of the Empire and thus were traitors.

Regardless, just like he had done on Lothal the Governor of the Outer Rim decided to make an example of the worst offenders in order to motivate the others to improve.

Both Governor Chavez and Lieutenant Governor Maduro were dead, but Planetary Minister Bernard Clinton and his Deputy Minister, Hillary Sanders, were still alive along with General Armin Metrac of the Garel Federal Guard.

 _Commandant Aresko and Taskmaster Grint were both low enough to be expendable but high enough to motivate Minister Tua, Agent Kallus, and the Pau'an High Inquisitor to perform better. Particularly since I ordered the Inquisitor to_ personally _execute those two imbeciles to drive it home for him._

Moff Clint Shermer was one of Chad's rivals-a particularly belligerent one, at that-but even he wasn't foolish enough to object when Tarkin sat in the Sector Governor's chair. The head of Garel's paramilitary police force, Director Brooke Augustine of the Department of Unified Protection, stood with Shermer along with Chad and his wife, Countess Serra Vader.

Metrac entered the office with Clinton and Sanders, dressed in a neatly pressed gray-green uniform. "General Metrac reporting with Minister Clinton and Deputy Minister Sanders per your orders, sir," the Helghast officer said, his voice betraying no uncertainties but his eyes displaying a hint of nervousness.

"Lady and gentlemen," Chad said, "please sit. Would you like some caf? My wife just made a fresh pot."

"Yes please, Your Lordship," Sanders said. Tarkin wondered why the Countess would bother making a pot of caf, AKA coffee, for the condemned, especially since it was on her own initiative. But it would not matter, for they would all die soon.

Cups of coffee were poured and when the three had sat down the Empire's first Grand Moff got to the point. "General Metrac, Minister Clinton," he began, "unless you three were absent last week, I trust you are aware of the fact that a large group of rebel insurgents were chased off Garel, correct?"

"Yes, Grand Moff," said Clinton. "I'm grateful for the Military removing those terrorists from my home."

Tarkin did not sigh audibly, instead opting to glare at the bureaucrat. "Minister, you missed my point," he told the buffoon of a civil servant. "Despite the rebel activity here, up to and including the assassination of Governor Chavez and the concealment of a squadron of Corellian corvettes, you three remained ignorant of the terrorist presence that was right in your backyard until an ISB investigation."

General Metrac frowned. "With all due respect, sir," he said, "these insurrectionists used multiple spaceports to hide their vessels and the murderers of the Governor escaped via a starship. I would like to note, Governor Tarkin, that I attempted to capture or kill those particular terrorists personally."

"But you _failed_ , Metrac," Tarkin replied. "In fact, you three have all failed as servants of the Empire. Each and every one of you had one job, one damn job, and that was to ensure this planet remained safe and productive as an Imperial world. Luckily enough, I know that fear, particularly fear of punishment, is quite useful as a negative motivating factor. Countess Vader?"

Serra casually activated her twin red lightsabers and stabbed the chests of Clinton and Sanders, who died pleading and screaming. Metrac tried to flee, but the High Inquisitor was a faster runner and she decapitated the General before he could get to safety.

"Director Augustine, _Clint_ ," Chad said, "I trust that you two will strive for excellence in light of this little show?"

"I have always striven for excellence, _Chad_ ," Shermer responded, though Tarkin knew the young Moff would probably tolerate less failings from his underlings in light of the three corpses that were now in his office.

 ***CUT TO: ARRS _GHOST_ ***

Their target was a supply convoy transporting spare parts for the Imperial Navy. _Ghost_ would board one of the three Gozanti cruisers, as would _Wookiee_ _Gunner_ and _Serenity_. The plan was to ambush the convoy once it came out of hyperspace to conduct a navigational check, board the freighters, kill or force any Imperial onboard into an escape pod, transfer the spare parts to their ships, then detonate the hyperdrives aboard each of the _Gozanti_ -class cruisers so the Empire couldn't recover them.

"Alright," said one of the Navy SEALs assigned to work with Spectre Team, Special Warfare Operator Second Class Rico Valesquez asked, "what kind of bucketheads can we expect?"

"Probably Imperial Navy troopers," Lucas told Rico. "But don't underestimate them, they aren't there to just throw drunk sailors in the brig. Give them a chance and they will kill you. Also, it's SOP for these guys to wear tactical vests under their uniforms, so odds are you'll need to shoot them more than once. Treat everyone and everything as hostile until proven otherwise regardless of gender or looks. Tell me, Valesquez-if a female technician pulls a concealed pistol on you, what will you do?"

"I'll put a burst of fire into her chest," Rico answered. "If a woman wants to act like a man, I'm gonna treat her like a man!"

Jammer, who had joined Rico and his friend, Special Warfare Operator First Class Tomas "Sev" Sevchenko, due to her combat and technical skills, snorted as she assembled a blaster rifle. "You do realize that in traditional Mandalorian culture, Rico," she said, "that a woman without children dependent on her is expected to fight as well, right?"

"Well..."

Kanan rolled his eyes. "We can debate gender roles later," the Colonel informed his subordinates. "Finish getting ready, the convoy is due to arrive in t-minus seven minutes."

 ***CUT TO:** **_PHANTOM_ ***

Diana was annoyed at having to get a bodysuit to replace her Phase II flight suit (though thankfully the life support gear and helmet were still usable, as were the boots), but now she had recovered from being shot in the leg and was ready to fight the Empire the way the young Concordian loved to-in a fighter.

 _Now only if Mother could see me now, the_ demagolka _. She isn't a scientist, but "butcher" fits her just fine._

" _Phantom_ to Spectre One," Diana said to Colonel Jarrus. "I'm ready to detach and engage, over."

"Copy that, Spectre Niner," Jarrus replied. "You are clear to detach, happy hunting. Be advised: The enemy's ETA is approximately two minutes, stand by."

Their plan was ambitious, but it could very well work. The rebels were up against three Gozantis and thus would probably face a dozen TIEs, but Diana had heard rumors that Captain Syndulla and her husband had gone up against three freighters and their twelve TIE escorts on their own and succeeded without a scratch. So the young pilot was confident but tempered it with caution as she detached _Phantom_ and moved into position.

Alliance Intelligence had been right about the convoy consisting of three freighters, for a trio of Imperial ships exited hyperspace. However, rather than _Gozanti_ -class cruisers, each of the vessels was an _Assassin_ -class corvette. The _Assassin_ -class corvette was a militarized modernization of the CR90-better armed, better shielded, and with a stronger hull.

"Son of a-!" the young Mandalorian woman cursed. "Colonel Jarrus, be advised: The spooks forgot to mention that the freighters were corvettes, not Gozantis!"

"Copy that!" Jarrus replied. "You just focus on dealing with those TIEs, Lieutenant!"

Twelve TIEs detached from the corvettes and flew to engage the rebel insurgents. An entire squadron of unshielded but nimble fighters being sent to defend their mother ships from _Phantom_ , _Ghost_ , _Serenity_ , and _Wookiee Gunner_?

The dozen members of the Imperial Starfleet were speeding towards their own deaths.

 ***CUT TO: ARRS _SERENITY_ ***

Now that the TIE fighter squadron had been destroyed, Mal cocked his slugthrower assault rifle, as did Zoe. Jayne inspected a magazine for his automatic shotgun before loading it, while the two Jedi Master Altis had loaned them stood side-by-side.

The Captain of _Serenity_ tried to break the silence. "So," he said, "your sect was separate from the Jedi Order prior to the Rise of the Empire, Master Jedi?"

The woman, who had introduced herself as Callista Eris, nodded. "Yes, Captain Reynolds," she answered. "Master Altis disagreed with the Jedi Council on many things, from marriage to how many Padawans a Jedi could instruct at one time. As a result, he decided to form his own Jedi faction. Considering Order Sixty-Six, I am grateful for the formation of the Altisian Jedi, for Jedi were able to survive in our community even if we had to go underground."

"The Empire was being formed even before Palpatine declared himself Emperor," said her husband, Geith Eris. "Look at the casual acceptance on the part of the orthodox Jedi and the Republic citizenry of an army of cloned slaves. Is it any surprise that a man like Palpatine was able to seize power when things like this happen and everyone turns a blind eye, Captain Reynolds?"

"I know, Geith," Callista said. "It's up to people like us to make things better."

 _Serenity_ docked with one of the three Imperial corvettes. Mal planned on having Wash detach as soon as possible, for _Serenity_ would be a tempting target while she was immobile even if it risked exposing the corvette they were boarding to vacuum.

"Captain, we've docked!" the blond man said from the bridge.

"Acknowledged, sweetheart," Zoe replied as the airlock opened.

The quartet of rebels were met by a pair of Navy troopers, who raised their blasters and fired at the Erises. However, the two Jedi had already ignited their lightsabers and they were able to deflect the shots back at their attackers, sending the two Imperials to the ground with charred holes in their black uniforms.

"Mal to Wash, we're in."

"Copy that, Captain. Detaching now, good luck and keep Zoe safe."

The five insurgents moved through the corvette, eliminating anyone foolish enough to try and stop them. Callista and Geith were Jedi Knights and their three cohorts were effective on their own. Together they were able to deal with the Imperial defenders fairly easily.

"Attention all hands," a voice said, "this is the Captain. Abandon ship, we are initiating the self-destruct. I say again, we will initiate the self-destruct. All hands, get to the escape pods. You will have ten minutes to get clear before the self-destruct charges detonate, good luck. All hail the Great Uniter."

"Son of a bitch!" Jayne yelled as he blew apart an unfortunate Navy trooper with an explosive shotgun round.

Callista shook her head as she deflected a stray particle bolt. "We have to get to engineering," the female Jedi said. "We have to disarm the explosives attached to both the hyperdrive and the reactor."

"How can you blow up a reactor?" Zoe asked. "Did the Imps perfect hypermatter as a practical source of energy? Because fusion reactors by design can't be blown up."

"They just need to cause a wildcat destabilization," Jayne explained, somewhat calmer. "After all, if the magnetic containment field was destroyed while the reaction itself was still functioning properly, there would be nothing to hold it in place and the escaping plasma would destroy everything within a significant radius. Even if we were to disarm the charges for the reactor, there is still the fact that a hyperdrive explosion would likely kill us all."

Mal looked at him. "You of all people know that?"

"Hey, I know stuff! I'm just not pretentious about it!"

"Focus, gentlemen," said Geith. "We have a ship to save."

The herd of Imperials had thinned considerably with the evacuation, though diehard fanatics and stranded sailors remained. When the five rebels finally reached the engineering complex, a squad of ten Navy troopers was there to meet them. The black-clad members of the Imperial Navy Security Force were all devout Imperial loyalists and would not surrender. The leader attempted to shoot Geith, but the redheaded Jedi Knight deflected his shots and Mal put a 6.8x43mm bullet in the trooper's head. In just over a minute the squad of guards were all dead and their killers were drenched in sweat.

"We got about two minutes, Master Eris," Mal said.

"On it," Callista said as she touched the baradium explosives attached to the reactor's magnetic containment field. Callista melded with the detonators and was able to successfully disarm the charges.

"Thank the Force for your skills as an electrician, Cal," Geith said.

"We still have the hyperdrive to deal with," she replied as they ran to the hyperdrive chamber, "but thanks for the compliment."

Once Callista had prevented the hyperdrive's charges from detonating, Jayne sighed in relief.

"How much time was left?" Zoe asked, amazed at Callista's skills.

"You don't wanna know," the Jedi replied.

"I'm willing to bet we had maybe seven seconds left," Mal wagered. "But now we have to start transferring the supplies." _Assuming there aren't any remaining Imps, of course._

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _ULTIMATIUM_ ***

Captain Nibiru Chamas was pleasantly surprised by the fact that not one, but three rebel ships, including the infamous freighter known as _Ghost_ , were present when _Ultimatum_ exited hyperspace. If Chamas succeeded in capturing the infamous rebels that had fled the backwater world of Lothal, he could easily become an Admiral.

"Scramble our fighters," he ordered Captain Jai'galaar (better known as "Jag"), the CO of _Ultimatium's_ TIEs, quickly.

Jag, a veteran of the Clone Wars who had shot down High General Plo Koon, obeyed even though he and Chamas were of equal rank. "I'm on it."

Alarms blared as _Ultimatium_ raced to engage the rebel insurgents. However, to the disappointment of Chamas, the Imperials were unable to destroy or capture them before the insurrectionists fled into hyperspace.

 _There goes my promotion._

 **ME: A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this. Sorry for taking so long, I was busy. Also, I haven't seen the finale yet, SO NO SPOILERS!**

 **I'm considering having a chapter where the rebels go to Mandalore and ally with Clan Skirata, an edited version of The Call that isn't pro-Space Whale (because those damn things are nothing but navigational hazards, so the Mining Guild was doing everyone a favor by shooting at them), and another chapter featuring some group like the Diversity Alliance or the Justice Action Network as evil rebels (i.e. legitimate terrorists). I haven't read any of the works featuring either the DA or the JAN, but hey, it'd be interesting to see evil rebels. Bonus points if our heroes get framed but actually succeed in stopping the terrorists.**

 **I'm now thinking of Chad and Serra having four kids; a pair of male twins and a pair of female twins. I originally was gonna make the girls triplets, but Ahsokafanboy1138 advised against it on the basis of him liking twins more. I don't have names, but most of them would probably have dark hair due to their parents. Personality wise, the oldest son would be the leader and tend to be more analytical like Inky, the younger son would be more of a Blood Knight, the oldest daughter would be tomboyish like Serra, and the youngest daughter would be more feminine than her older sister. Any names?**

 **Callista and Geith may have had kids since they were engaged around the time of the Clone Wars, but I'm not currently planning on making them major protagonists, so I didn't mention any kids of theirs. I figured they'd be Knights even if they were latecomers due to it being fifteen years since the rise of the Empire.**

 **I had the Navy troopers wear vests under their uniforms because I think they would do that to protect themselves while putting their colleagues and superiors at ease. They do wear helmets all the time, after all.**

 **Also, here's to hoping a love triangle won't develop between Finn, Rey, and Poe, because that would be VERY annoying. BTW, have any of you seen RWBY? It's one of Rooster Teeth's two major series (the other one being the famous Red vs. Blue, of course), and having seen all the episodes I will say this-it is badass. Monty Oum, if you're reading this in heaven, thank you.**


	35. The Protectors of Concord Dawn

**ME: I'm sorry for the delays, guys. Anyhow, I'm wondering-should I still write titles for each chapter? I do have problems coming up with names at times.**

 **Now back to the story!**

His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Sheev Palpatine the Great Uniter, confirmed that, after a period of indentured servitude to pay for the cost of their creation and training, clone troops will be granted Imperial citizenship and allowed to retire as honored veterans. However, some predict that the vast majority will continue to serve in the Imperial Military, particularly the Stormtrooper Corps, for various reasons. Regardless, it is heartwarming to see the Great Uniter treat his bravest servants better than the traitorous Jedi Order did.

 **(HoloNet News report following the passage of the Imperial Veterans Compensation Act)**

 _Ghost_ , _Serenity_ , and _Wookiee Gunner_ rendezvoused with Phoenix Fleet and distributed the supplies they had stolen. In addition to the five Corellian corvettes that made up the core of the naval squadron, three Hammerhead corvettes (based off an ancient design from well before the Clone Wars), Taylander shuttles and GR-75 transports, a squadron of Z-95s, and a group of A-wings that were assigned to the pilots of the reconstituted Phoenix Squadron were seen when the three freighters emerged from hyperspace.

"Master Altis, Captain Reynolds, Kanan," Ahsoka asked, "my thanks for your successful raid on the Imperial supply convoy."

Mal shook his head before saying, "Ma'am, those freighters turned out to be _Assassin_ -class corvettes, not Gozanti cruisers. Then there was the fact the Imps tried to scuttle the ship my team boarded; we were lucky to have one of Master Altis's Jedi aboard to disarm the explosives."

"Then there's the fact a milking ImpStar came out of hyperspace and tried to kill us," snarled Zeb. "I have a theory that those spooks in Intel probably don't have, Ahsoka: Palps and Vader have begun systematically offing all their incompetent minions in the officer corps, leaving the ones that can actually read a chart."

"We probably should seek out a new hyperspace route in light of the increasing danger," added Captain H'Arman. "Any suggestions?"

Sabine smiled and tapped at the holotank. "The Concord Dawn system in the Mandalore sector," she said. "It doesn't have Imperial or Death Watch garrisons and ships in it yet. Isn't that right, Bev?"

Beviin nodded. "Yup," said the Marine. "Concord Dawn isn't under Imperial occupation like Mandalore, Vekta, and Helghan. Good old home sweet home."

"Why not?" grumbled Ezra. "The Empire's grabbing up everything else they can get their greasy hands on, Bev. Why would they leave your homeworld alone?"

"The people of Concord Dawn are known for their elite warriors, the Journeyman Protectors," Rex said. "Hell, Jango Fett, the man who served as the template for the Grand Army, was fathered by a Protector. Even the Empire and their Death Watch lackeys know better than to kark with the Protectors."

Buy'ce coughed. "Just who are they loyal to? The Imps do occupy _Manda'yaim_ , sir," Buy'ce pointed out. "So even if the Protectors have no love for the _aruetyc_ Empire and _Kyr'tsad_ , they could be influenced, Colonel Rex."

"I agree with the Corporal," Ackbar said. "We should scout the system for defenses, see what we're up against."

"Or perhaps we try diplomacy," argued Kanan. "Ask permission to use their system first."

The Mon Calamari Commodore shook his head. "Warriors like these only understand strength, Colonel Jarrus," he replied.

"He's got a point," said Diana, whose ancestors on her mother's side had immigrated to Concordia, the moon of Kalevala, from Concord Dawn. "There's a reason Mandalore didn't have a formal government priot to the Death Watch takeover, Colonel."

"But we shouldn't make an enemy if we don't have to," countered Hera. "If we can get them to allow use of their system willingly, we can try to recruit them later as well. We need grow the rebellion, and allies like the Protectors will be invaluable."

"Very well, Hera," Ahsoka said. "The mission is yours, take a small group of pilots and try to contact the Protectors. I'll have the fleet ready to jump and provide reinforcements in the event that diplomacy fails, so you'll have reinforcements if the situation ends up FUBAR. May the Force be with you."

"Mind if I tag along?" Sabine asked Hera.

The Twi'lek smiled. "I was hoping you'd ask."

Diana decided to join the mission as well. "Looks like diplomacy won the day," commented Ezra.

"There was a time when it always won the day," Kanan said.

 ***CUT TO: OLD REPUBLIC SENATE BUILDING, CAPITAL CITY, LOTHAL***

Merei Spanjaf's heart thudded in her chest as she met with her boyfriend, rogue Imperial cadet Zare Leonis.

"It's getting riskier to gather and transmit intel off this bloody planet, Zare," she said. "It's hard enough to balance my schoolwork with this cloak-and-dagger stuff, and being at the Imperial Academy must make it even harder for you."

Zare smiled inwardly, Merei's Core Worlds accent and slang reminding him of the fact that his girlfriend was from Corulag. "It's not easy," he said, "but nothing worth doing is easy, Merei."

"I agree, traitor."

Both teens, surprised at the new voice, turned to find its source-a young girl who looked a couple years younger than them. She wore a black long coat over a gray tunic and black trousers tucked into black boots. The girl's face was masked by a respirator and a pair of tactical glasses.

Zare and Merei, however, were mainly concerned about the suppressed slugthrower pistol the mysterious teenager was aiming at them. "Who are you?" asked Merei.

"That's classified, Miss Spanjaf," answered the girl. "Imperial surveillance and monitoring caught you and Cadet Leonis here leaking information to enemies of the Great Uniter's New Order. You two both are guilty of crimes against the Empire, now place your hands on your heads and turn around."

Zare looked her in the eye as best as he could. "If you were going to shoot us," he said, "you'd have-."

 _BANG!_

The pistol fired more quietly with a suppressor attached, but it still wasn't silent. Both Zare and Merei winced momentarily, for neither wore anything to protect their ears.

"I advise that you do not make me repeat myself, traitors," the girl said in a cultured but annoyed tone.

The two teenage rebels complied with her instructions. The bullet may have not actually hit either of them, but neither of the two Lothalites wanted to get a 5.7x28mm hole in their heads and the girl had proven that the slugthrower was loaded.

"Good, now turn around."

Just as Zare finished obeying orders, the girl pulled the trigger again. The bullet slammed between his shoulders before releasing an electrical shock, causing the former Imperial loyalist to scream in pain as he fell unconscious.

"Zare, no!" Merei screamed.

"Your fellow traitor is still _alive_ , Miss Spanjaf," said the girl as she squeezed the trigger of her pistol for the third time, knocking out the young hacker.

A squad of Storm Commandos promptly decloaked, having been ordered to not interfere unless absolutely necessary. "Good shooting, ma'am," said the leader of the unit as he and his subordinates began to restrain the two unconscious insurgents.

"Thank you, Sergeant Boss," replied the girl. She then took out her personal holoprojector to report her success.

"Mother," the teenage girl said. "It's done, Targets Besh One and Besh Two have both been apprehended. Delta Squad and I will be returning with the two momentarily."

"Good work, my dear," Countess Serra Vader replied. "You and your siblings make your father and I prouder every day. I look forward to seeing you and Delta with your catch."

Behind her respirator, Dame Shmi Vader of the Imperial Inquisition smiled. "Thank you, Mother."

 ***CUT TO: CONCORD DAWN SYSTEM***

Hera's A-wing exited hyperspace, followed by Sabine, Diana, and three pilots from Phoenix Squadron. Due to a shortage of experienced pilots, until further notice Hera would serve as Phoenix Leader.

"There's Concord Dawn," Hera commented as the Mandalorian world came into view. "Diana, any facts you wish to share about the homeworld of your ancestors?"

"Concord Dawn's an agricultural planet," the younger pilot said. "You _aruetiise_ might not think of Mandalorians as nothing but violent brutes, but an army marches on its stomach."

"Relax, _ner vod_ ," Sabine cut in. "You know Hera isn't ignorant about-."

"Heads up, everyone!" interrupted Hera. "We have visitors. Hold your fire; the last thing we need is a war with Concord Dawn."

A trio of Journeyman Protector fighters moved to intercept the six A-wings. Two stayed behind the rebels, while the third got in front of the A-wing formation.

"Attention unidentified vessels," a gruff voice said. "This is Fenn Rau of the Journeyman Protectors, the enforcers of law and order on Concord Dawn. You are trespassing, identify yourselves immediately."

"We come in peace, Protector Rau," Hera stated, keeping her voice calm and diplomatic.

"Peace?" Rau snorted derisively. "That's not a word I hear often, trespasser. State your intentions, over."

"We request safe passage through your system, Protector," said Hera.

"That depends, who is asking?" questioned Rau, sounding at least mildly curious.

"Those who would stand with Concord Dawn against the Empire."

"So you're the insurgents I've heard about," Rau replied in a cool voice. "How _unfortunate_ for you."

Hera: "You haven't heard what we've had to say."

"I don't need to. Out here, the Journeyman Protectors act in the name of the Empire."

The Mandalorian lawman fell back behind the rebels and opened fire on one of the A-wings, ignoring Hera's pleas. The pilot, a poor bastard who was barely out of training, was only able to scream, "I'm hit!" before Rau caused a wildcat destabilization and destroyed his fighter.

"Hera, what do we do?" asked Sabine. "What do we do?!"

"Scramble and return fire!" Diana yelled. "These _chakaare_ are on Imp payroll, so that makes them legitimate targets!"

"Negative, Phoenix Squadron!" Hera ordered. "Take evasive action and power up your hyperdrives, we need to retreat!"

"Phoenix Leader," said Phoenix Two, "we can't attempt an FTL jump without getting shot in the back! Shouldn't you call for reinforcements?!"

"They won't get here in time!" explained Hera. "Now get ready to jump, that's an order!"

One of the two surviving pilots, a young Human woman, obeyed without hesitation. Unfortunately, one of Rau's wingmen scored a lucky hit and sent her spinning out of control. Sabine winced under her helmet as she listened to the pilot's screams.

"Captain, we can't get an opening!" shouted Diana as she barely evaded the fire of the Protectors.

"Go to heading two-five-seven, I'll get you three an opening," Hera told the younger pilot.

"What about you?" Sabine asked, not wanting to leave Hera behind.

"Just follow orders, Sabine!"

"Ugh!"

"That's right, Protector," Hera said as she led Rau away from her fellow rebels. "Follow me."

"Ma'am," Phoenix Two said, "if you're gonna give us an opening, we need it now!"

Hera fired on and destroyed the fighter of one of Rau's wingmen, forcing the other Protector to retreat. "There's your opening, now go!"

"Copy that, Phoenix Leader! Thanks, ma'am!" Phoenix Two replied before jumping into hyperspace.

"See you back at the fleet, ma'am," Diana said before initiating a hyperjump of her own.

"Get going, Sabine!" the Twi'lek rebel ordered.

"No one gets left behind!" shot back the young Mandalorian woman.

"Just go!"

"Close ranks!" Rau ordered his surviving wingman. The second to last of the rebels was able to flee into hyperspace unscathed, but the two Protectors were able to shoot the last A-wing repeatedly before it escaped as well.

Governor Purton contacted the veteran Journeyman Protector soon afterwards. "What's going on, Rau?" the politician asked.

"It turns out the trespassers were rebel insurgents, sir," Rau answered. "They shot down one of my wingmen, but we were able to drive them off. I'll send the data over to you as soon as I get back to base, Governor Purton."

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF ARRS _LIBERATOR_ ***

"The Journeyman Protectors are working for the Empire like Death Watch?" Ahsoka asked, concerned at the strategic implications.

Suddenly an A-wing that could only be Hera's came out of hyperspace, a damaged wreck.

"Hera," Kanan said, "can you hear me?"

Sabine gasped audibly over the comms then said, "Kanan, I see her! It's real bad, you have to hurry! Please hurry!"

Hera was discovered to be badly injured and unconscious once her A-wing had been successfully recovered by _Liberator_. Though she was stabilized, the Twi'lek officer remained unconscious and would have to rest.

"This is my fault," Sabine said as they headed to the bridge. "I shouldn't have left Hera."

"There was nothing you could have done," said Kanan in an effort to console her. "I'm just glad you're both alive."

"But we lost two pilots," Ezra pointed out. "Seriously, this isn't as bad as when that Sith Lord attacked us, but it's a miracle we haven't been wiped out."

Zeb shrugged. "One problem at a time," he said.

Lucas greeted them outside the bridge. "Sorry about your wife, sir," he told Kanan. "It's messed up what happened to Captain Syndulla, Colonel."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," replied the Jedi Knight as they entered the bridge.

"Fenn Rau," Sabine told the assembled officers, "a Journeyman Protector from Concord Dawn. He's the one who initiated the attack that killed two pilots from Phoenix Squadron and he nearly killed Hera as well."

Rex frowned. "Shit, I've heard of Rau," he said. "He served as a fighter pilot instructor for the clones back on Kamino before the war."

"He also served in the Republic Navy during the war, leading a fighter squadron against the Separatists on Mygeeto," Kanan added. "I know, I was there."

"Well he claims he and the Journeyman Protectors now act in the name of the Empire," said Diana. "Looks like it's time to put Rau and his goons down like sick akks."

"There are a few issues with that idea, Lieutenant," chided Commodore Ackbar. "First, if the Journeyman Protectors are allied with the Empire, they could summon Imperial or Death Watch reinforcements if we launch an attack. Second, the people of Concord Dawn have a positive view of their lawmen, so us killing Protectors will run the risk of generating sympathy for the Empire and Death Watch. Third, using their system for safe passage without their permission will only promote resentment amongst the Concordians."

"I guess diplomacy has been taken off the table?" Kanan asked his fellow officers.

"Yeah, let's negotiate," Sabine snarled. "By destroying the ability of the Protectors to attack us."

"Sabine-."

"Sorry to interrupt, Kanan," Ahsoka cut him off, "but clearly negotiating with the Concordians has failed. Sensor data indicates that Fenn Rau and his wingmen came from Concord Dawn's third moon. Clearly they have a base of some kind on that moon. Locate that base and take it out-at the very least, destroy as many fighters as you can. That way we can keep the Protectors from attacking us while not being too overt about it. Dead men tell no tales, especially if ordinary Concordians don't see Corellian corvettes landing Marines on one of their moons."

"Yeah, ma'am," said Colonel Subu, who was attending the meeting via hologram. "My regiment isn't exactly famous for being subtle."

"Okay, but this is a solo mission," Kanan said. "And I am _not_ killing anyone if I don't have to."

"You're still taking a team via _Phantom_ ," Ahsoka countered. "Lucas here is trained for covert ops, you aren't. A few SEALs wouldn't hurt either."

"What about me and Zeb?" inquired Ezra.

"You two aren't exactly stealthy," pointed out Ahsoka. She didn't mention not wanting to get all of Spectre Team killed if things went wrong. "Plus there is only so many people who can be in a team before it gets too large to sneak around unnoticed."

"Ahsoka, I'm a Mandalorian myself!" Sabine said. "I'm also an explosives expert, so I can blow up the fighters!"

"Sabine, right now you want to go out of vengeance," said Kanan. "So no."

"I agree," Ahsoka said. "Diana, you're flying _Phantom_. Kanan can fly, but your presence will minimize fatigue. Buy'ce, Beviin, you and Chopper are to stay behind and guard the ship once you guys get to Concord Dawn."

"Ma'am," objected Beviin, "we need to protect you."

"Son," interjected Captain H'Arman, "this corvette has an entire battalion of Marines aboard. If they can't protect General Tano, no one can."

Kanan promptly left with Lucas, Diana, Buy'ce, Beviin, and Chopper. Lieutenant Narville loaned Jammer, Sev, and Rico for extra manpower. Diana detached _Phantom_ from _Ghost_ and engaged the hyperdrive, sending them towards Concord Dawn faster than the speed of light.

"Alright, Chopper," Kanan said when _Phantom_ exited hyperspace. "Let's go over the sensor data Sabine and Diana gathered."

 _Why don't you just ask Sabine herself?_ the astromech stated.

"What do you mean-." Kanan sighed as he put two and two together. "She's right behind me, isn't she?"

"Yup," Sabine answered. "You must be pretty distracted to not notice that I stowed away. What are you really up to, Kanan?"

"You heard Ahsoka's orders," he answered. "I'm gonna take out the Protector fighters and prevent them from launching another attack while maintaining plausible deniability."

Diana spoke up. "With all due respect, Colonel," she said, "even I know that's bullshit. What are you really up to?"

"Okay, fine," Kanan confessed. "I'm going to finish Hera's mission, everyone. We need to recruit the Protectors in order to strengthen the rebellion."

"These assholes nearly killed Hera, your wife!" yelled Sabine. "Hell, that was _after_ they killed two of our pilots! What are you thinking?!"

"I'm thinking we can still offer them a chance to join the Alliance," Kanan responded. "Everyone deserves a second chance, Sabine."

"Sir," said Rico, "I'm with Wren. This Jedi peace and detachment philosophy doesn't work for everyone-more specifically, it didn't work beyond your order."

"That's why we're at war," Kanan countered.

Lucas checked his gear. "Just so we're clear, sir," he said, "the order to destroy the fighters came from General Tano. You better hope for the sake of the Protectors that your plan works, Colonel Jarrus. Otherwise I _will_ do my best to fuck these guys up."

 _Let's hope it doesn't come to that._

 ***CUT TO: FENN RAU'S QUARTERS, JOURNEYMAN PROTECTOR BASE, THIRD MOON OF CONCORD DAWN***

"Pretty bold of you to sneak onto this base," Fenn said after he took a sip of soup and drew his sidearm. "I assume you're one of the rebels I dealt with earlier?"

"Close," said the intruder, "but not close enough."

The Protector officer poured a bowl of soup for the man. "I honestly don't recognize you," he said. "So why don't you tell me what you want, _aruetii_ , before I put a round through your skull."

Kanan drank from his bowl of soup. "we never met," he explained, "but I do know you. In fact, I came to thank you. During the Clone Wars, you fought at Mygetto. You and your Skull Squadron provided close air support when my master, Depa Billaba, and I were pinned down by Sep droids." Kanan then assembled his lightsaber. "You saved our lives."

"You're a survivor," Rau realized, impressed. "That explains how you got past security. But what are you really after, _Jetii_? After all, _that_ war was a long time ago. I was younger and more reckless back then, so don't expect me to fight another war for the Jedi."

Kanan looked him in the eye. "You gave me a chance to live that day. Now I'd like to return the favor."

 ***CUT TO: AIRFIELD, JOURNEYMAN PROTECTOR BASE, THIRD MOON OF CONCORD DAWN***

Sabine and the others snuck around the airfield, planting explosives on the various fighters.

 _Once we get to Rau's fighter at the far end of the field, then I'll be slightly less angry._ Slightly _._

At one point Sabine had banged her head on a fighter, prompting two mechanics to search for her with their pistols drawn. It was a miracle that she had been able to conceal herself in time.

Just as Sabine finished planting the explosives on one of the fighters, she heard a safety disengage.

"How's it going, _vode_?" the young Mandalorian woman said casually, keeping her sidearms lowered so they wouldn't shoot her.

The Protectors were able to discover Diana, Lucas, and the SEALs as well. "Where did you steal that armor from, _aruetii_?" asked one of the pilots, a man who sounded pissed off. Most would be intimidated by the black armor and red visors of the Protectors, but Sabine was a _Mando'ad_ and thus knew better.

"I'm a Mando myself, actually," Sabine said. "I forged this armor personally."

"I doubt you're a Mandalorian, _girl_ ," another pilot sneered, this one female. "What's your Clan?"

"I am Sabine of Clan Wren," she shot back.

"Clan Wren?" one of the Protectors said.

"My cousin said he had a classmate named Sabine Wren!" another yelled. "He said she disappeared from the Academy on _Manda'yaim_!"

" _Hut'uun!_ Deserter! _Aruetii!_ "

"Speaking of Clans," Diana spoke up, "I come from Clan Merrik. I was born to the woman who know serves as Governor of Concordia in the Kalevala system. Her sending me to the Academy was the best thing she ever did to me; I was able to escape that way. _Neyar gain Diana Merrik._ "

"You cowardly little traitor and deserter!" one of the Protectors yelled. "You, like your friend here, just admitted to abandoning your buddies!"

"Are we traitors to the Empire?" Sabine said. "Kriff yeah. But you can all bet your _shebse_ we aren't traitors to Mandalore. Now I invoke the Code to seek justice through single combat!"

"No one has invoked the Code since the Empire and Death Watch took over," said one of the Protectors, sounding less confident than he had before.

"Well who's in charge here?" Sev spoke up. "The Empire and their lackeys or you guys?"

 ***CUT TO: FENN RAU'S QUARTERS, JOURNEYMAN PROTECTOR BASE, THIRD MOON OF CONCORD DAWN***

"Sir, we have discovered six infiltrators," said a Protector guard.

"Don't worry, Lieutenant," Rau said. "I have the Jedi under control, and if he's distracting me so one of his buddies can put a particle bolt in my head, they're taking their sweet time doing it."

"I don't know anything about a Jedi," the junior officer responded, "but one of the trespassers, some girl with a weird chestplate that barely covers anything, has invoked the Code. We've identified her as Cadet Sabine Wren, a deserter from the Imperial Academy on Mandalore. Additionally, we've also identified a rogue ISB Agent from Vekta, Lieutenant Lucas Kellan, and Governor Merrik of Concordia's daughter, Cadet Diana Merrik. Like Wren, she's a deserter as well."

"I assume they came here with you?" Rau asked Kanan.

The rebel Colonel simply sighed. "I'll handle this."

The Protector stopped him with a hand to the chest. "I'm afraid it's out of your control now, Jedi."

The two men ran outside, where Sabine, helmetless, was held at gunpoint by a pair of guards. "Sabine," Kanan said, "I thought we had an agreement."

"They started it!" Sabine complained.

"By your desertion, you are an enemy to the Protectors," Rau stated. "Call out your opponent for combat to the death."

Sabine: "I thought you'd never ask. I call out you, Fenn Rau! You're gonna pay for what you did to Hera and two of the pilots under her command."

The older Mandalorian accepted the challenge and walked forward. "Just like I told your Jedi friend, you rebels fight battles you can't win. I assume Hera is the pilot I shot up before her fighter entered hyperspace? I had confirmed the deaths of the two pilots we had shot down earlier, so I guess Hera didn't make it. Such is the nature of war; not everyone goes home."

"Captain Syndulla's barely alive, _di'kut_ ," Diana snapped.

Rau ignored the remark. "I have to admit," said the senior Protector, "this is an interesting development. One of you rebels came here to befriend me, another one came here to kill me."

Kanan spoke up, trying to keep his voice level and diplomatic. "We can't let you attack our fighters or warn the Empire or Death Watch, but we'd rather leave here as friends."

"He and the Protectors became the enemy the moment they started working for the Empire," countered Sabine.

"Sabine," Kanan said, "you know Hera wouldn't want you to make enemies and she wouldn't want you to die."

"I'm not planning on dying," the young Mandalorian rebel countered.

Rau snorted. "Only way you're not getting handed off to the Empire, _Jetii_ , is if she kills me. Trust me, that won't happen. I'm facing someone who doesn't even cover herself with sufficient plating."

"Sabine, you do this and you're no better than Rau. Win or lose, the Empire will be all over this system and the fleet."

"You have to trust me, Kanan. Now please stop talking."

Both Rau and Sabine drew their weapons after a period of silence. However, the younger combatant was quicker and was able to shoot Rau's pistol out of his right hand.

"Luckily enough for you guys," Sabine said as she put her helmet back on, "there are alternatives to killing."

Sabine proceeded to detonate the explosives she had attached to all but one of the Protector fighters, destroying them and knocking over everyone.

"Sir, what should we do?!" one of the pilots asked angrily.

"Capture them alive!" Rau ordered. "I want them to watch their fleet be destroyed!"

"Where's Rau going?" Kanan asked he intercepted stun rounds with his lightsaber.

"He must be headed to his personal fighter!" Sabine answered as she shot one of the Protectors in the chest, knocking him to the ground. "We didn't get to plant explosives on it!"

"Got it, I'll get him!" Kanan yelled as he ran after Rau. "And don't kill anyone if you don't have to!"

Lucas shot one of the Protector pilots in her unarmored thigh, causing her to scream in pain and fall to the ground. A medic and another Protector ran to help her.

Rau made it to his fighter and took off. He tried shooting at Kanan, but the Jedi Knight was able to evade his shots with acrobats and landed on Rau's fighter. Undeterred the Protector simply accelerated and gain altitude, desperately trying to shake his opponent off. The rational part of Rau's mind knew he could simply activate his particle shields, but he was too distracted in an effort to get Kanan off his ship before he could do anything.

"Still think we can't win?" Kanan said as he stabbed Rau's controls before slicing away part of the canopy. "Our ride's here!" he said before destroying Rau's sidearm before he could get off a shot and punching him in the face.

"Time to get outta here," said Diana as _Phantom_ sped towards space. " _Kandosii_ , Colonel Jarrus. That was badass, sir...for a Jedi."

"Thank you, Diana," Kanan replied just as Rau's comlink began to beep. "Hey, Rau, you better answer that."

"WHAT?!" Everyone else said.

"Kanan," Sabine argued, "he's a prisoner! You can't let him answer his comlink!"

Rau shook his head and answered his comlink at Kanan's suggestion. "Sir," a Protector said, "are you there? Over."

"Affirmative," Rau said. "The Jedi has captured me."

"Don't worry, we'll scramble reinforcements and force them to surrender-."

"-just _don't_ , _ad'ika_."

"But, sir, why?!"

Rau sighed. "If word gets out that I was captured, the Imperials and their Death Watch minions will be all over our world. So speak no word of this to anyone, including Governor Purton. Additionally, until further notice their ships are to be granted safe passage through our system. If we attack them again, they will have every reason to leak evidence of me being captured. Am I clear, Protector?"

"As you wish, sir," the Protector acknowledged in a resigned voice.

* **CUT TO: _PHOENIX HOME_ ***

Fenn Rau was hauled by Buy'ce and Beviin to the brig with Lucas, Sev, Rico, and Jammer providing additional security, while Diana, Sabine, and Kanan were greeted by Ahsoka.

"Follow me, Spectres," the Togruta General said. "Hera wants to see you, and I enjoy family reunions."

The trio followed her to the medbay, where Hera smiled at them as she lay in bed. "I hear we're taking prisoners now," she said.

"More like a reluctant recruit," Kanan retorted, smiling at seeing his wife awake.

"The good news is that the threat the Protectors posed was neutralized with minimal casualties on both sides," Sabine said, having calmed down since Rau's defeat.

Ezra smirked mischievously. " _Sab'ika_ , you sound more like a Jedi than a Mando now."

Sabine punched him in the shoulder playfully. "Hey, we Mandos would rather have our weapons and armor and not need them then need them and not have them."

"That's a philosophy to admire," said Hera. "I'm glad to see everything worked out, Sabine. Good job, everybody."

 ***CUT TO: KYRIMORUT, MANDALORE***

Nyreen shut off the monitor. "Okay, people," the old woman told the rest of Clan Skirata, "what do we know of the rebels?"

Kad raised his hand. " _Ba'buir,_ " her grandson said, "the rebels are, and I quote, 'A terrorist-criminal-paramilitary organization bent on spreading chaos throughout the Galactic Empire. All Imperial citizens must report any available information to the Imperial Security Bureau.'"

"'Terrorist-criminal-paramilitary organization?'" Ordo said. "Who writes this _osik_? That doesn't even make sense!"

"That's propaganda for you, _Ord'ika_ ," Kal answered. "It's so ridiculous that we rational livestock forget to eat our damn grass like the rest of the herd because of it. Anyhow, it seems like they're getting stronger."

"And are subsequently getting more attention from the Imps, which is a bad thing," Etain pointed out. "I say we maintain neutrality and only pick sides if we have to."

Darman, her husband, sighed. "Somehow, cyar'ika," he said, "I doubt we'll have a choice in the matter."

 **ME: A/N: I had Concord Dawn not be a shattered (quite literally, in this instance) world because, besides disliking how a number of people other than Karen Traviss tend to view the Mandalorians as dumb thugs, how could that have happened? Seriously, why would Palps bother building a Death Star if he could just hire Mandalorians to wreck the planets of everyone on his shit list?**

 **Though on the bright side, we now have Mando warriors outside Kalevala (better known as "fake Mandalore," to quote Ahsokafanboy1138, from TCW). Plus the Protectors clearly have no love for Death Watch canonically, so at least Fenn Rau's incarnation is reasonable.**

 **I wonder what rank or position Scolar Visari should have. Any suggestions for the other Helghast and Vektan leaders (Sinclair, Hera Visari-not to be confused with Hera Syndulla, who is way nicer-Orlock, Stahl, etc)?**

 **I have mixed feelings about Mandalorian Houses, so I only mentioned Clans. Does anyone else like the idea of Clans forming alliances in the form of Houses?**

 **I didn't have the Protectors mentioned as a threat on their own to the rebel fleet (though the A-wings would be at risk) since, assuming their main starships are fighters, they wouldn't be a threat to shielded corvettes (seriously, I raised an eyebrow when Sato canonically said their fighters would be a threat to Phoenix Fleet). Though frankly, even a Venator (odds are if the old Republic-era equipment wasn't scrapped or stolen or whatnot, it'd be given to loyalist militias) from Death Watch courtesy of a Protector call for reinforcements would be a threat to the rebels.**

 **Red and Black all over might seem a bit Obviously Evil on the Protectors part, but traditionally black is associated with justice and red with honoring one's parents-very appropriate for a Mandalorian police force. Plus in real life SWAT teams tend to look intimidating in an effort to get opponents to surrender without firing a shot, so there's an added psychological factor that comes with such an unnerving color scheme.**

 **I had Sabine and Diana be denounced as traitors and cowards for deserting the Imperial Academy because of the fact that, let's face it, technically they abandoned their fellow cadets. Like Finn, to Imperial Mandalorians (even Punch Clocks like the Protectors) they would be the equivalent of Bowe Bergdahl (AKA the bastard who ran off and abandoned his buddies and was exchanged for five Taliban commanders under Obama's orders).**

 **I had Merei and Zare captured for both drama and to have a Big Brother theme. Though I never actually read _1984_. Shmi's coat was inspired by the female Sith Warrior from Ltflak's videos. "Dame" is to indicate that she's the Girly Girl to her sister's Tomboy, though I have no names for the rest of Serra and Chad's children.**

 **I had the Empire give citizenship to clones both out of PR and after being inspired by the webcomic Quentyn Quinn, where droids/robots/AIs with a certain level of intelligence have to serve a period of indentured servitude to pay for the cost of their manufacture (and to prepare for their future lives as independent entities) before being becoming free citizens with full rights.**

 **On a random note, is anyone else wondering why Hydra in the MCU has its name capitalized? Seriously, it's not like "HYDRA" is an acronym for anything, while "SHIELD" actually is an acronym.**

 **I dedicate this chapter to one of my stepmother's cats, Bruiser. He passed away April 3, 2016, from an infection (won't go into details here). Rest in peace, Bruiser. My stepmother will see you on the other side.**

 **I really hope we see Clan Skirata in Rebels. Granted, given how Disney depicted Concord Dawn...but I seriously wanna incorporate those guys, I loved them in the Republic Commando novels. I didn't mention Etain and Darman having more kids because I wouldn't know how to write that. The "terrorist-criminal-paramilitary" crap is from the MCU page for Hydra, which to me sounds ridiculous.**


	36. Legends of the Lasat

**ME: Now to get back to work.**

Lasan has been pacified, my Emperor. Unfortunately, due to the use of disruptors, the population has been decimated. What few Lasats that weren't killed or captured have been driven into hiding or have fled Lasan. I recommend that this near-extinction be blamed on the remnants of the Separatist Alliance.

 **(Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, Governor of the Outer Rim)**

Things had been going had well for Sabine, Ezra reflected. She had been granted Fenn Rau's armor in light of how the imprisoned Protector wouldn't need it but the younger Mandalorian could use the extra protection (though the plates had needed to be adjusted, of course, and Sabine made sure to change the color scheme). His crush had also bulked up, with her arms getting more muscular, her thighs getting bigger, and her back and chest were visibly stronger even when hidden by a tank top.

 _I will_ not _die a_ _virgin_ _...I just can't. Good thing Mando women tend to prefer fit men._

"Hey, Bridger," said Diana, who wasn't as strong as Sabine due to not wearing armor but still fairly fit.

"You can call me Ezra, ya know," he replied.

"I won't," she shot back. "Anyhow, General Tano is calling a meeting."

"Got it."

Ahsoka brought up a holographic image of Nixus, the moon where Ezra had met with Hondo, who now served as a rebel privateer. "I've received a report from one of our contacts about a pair of refugees wanted by the Empire. The informant says the Imps are closing in, so we need to move fast."

Hera smiled. "So you're joining us, Ahsoka?" she asked.

Ahsoka: "Yes and no. I'll handle flying to Nixus, but odds are the Empire wants me even more than you guys since I was a Commander in the Grand Army during the Clone Wars. So I'll be staying on _Ghost_ unless you guys request backup."

Kanan nodded. "That's fine," he said. "Some help is better than no help at all."

 _Ghost_ detached from _Liberator_ soon after and flew through hyperspace towards Nixus. Ahsoka landed the freighter in a hangar bay after approaching the outpost, allowing Spectre Team to move out. The crew stuck to the shadows and tried to keep a low profile as they moved deeper into the outpost, knowing it would take only one alert to get the attention of the Empire.

"We're too late," Ezra said, having discovered ten Stormtroopers and an Imperial officer forcing out the two refugees.

"They're my people," Zeb realized. "They're Lasat."

"Where are you taking us?" asked the male Lasat.

"To a detention facility," answered the Imperial officer, a smug man named Zack Ward Boll. "There you will learn the error of your ways."

"More likely a firing squad," the Lasat remarked.

"Don't be stupid, alien," Boll sneered. "After all, wouldn't I have just shot both of you freaks by now?"

One of the Stormtroopers looked at his speciesist superior. "Sir, that's VERY bigoted. The Emperor is against Humanocent-."

"-YOU GET TO LIVE!" Zeb interrupted as he attacked the Stormtrooper while Lucas grabbed the officer's jaw and twisted, snapping Boll's neck. The rest of Spectre Team opened fire, and out of the nine other Stormtroopers only the medic wasn't shot by a lethal round.

"Please don't kill me!" the Stormtrooper medic said as he dropped his rifle on the deck gently.

"Don't worry, but we can't have you calling for help," said Ezra as shot the medic with a stun round, knocking him out.

"Good work, everyone!" Hondo congratulated as he walked into view. "You are a smart young man, Ezra Bridger!"

"Thank you for the compliment, Hondo," Ezra told the privateer. "Though we could've used a warning about the Empire having located the refugees."

"That's because I informed the Empire the Lasats were here in exchange for the monetary reward," responded Hondo. Zeb immediately grabbed his rifle, prompting Hondo to say, "Of course, I knew you brave, heroic rebels would arrive just in time to save the day! Look at it this way, now the Empire has spent credits but did not succeed in taking two people into captivity!"

"You're our contact?" Hera asked in disbelief.

"To be fair, he seems to have contacted Fulcrum," Ezra pointed out, using Ahsoka's codename to avoid revealing her identity.

"Yes, to be fair," Hondo stated. "I knew these two Lasats belong with your friend."

"It is him!" said the male Lasat. "Captain Orrelios!"

"By the Ashla, the prophecy is almost complete!" said the female Lasat.

"Captain?" Ezra asked as Zeb looked down.

"Does that mean I have to salute you now?" inquired Diana.

"Yes," said the Lasat woman as she and her companion knelt. "Captain Garazeb Orrelios of the Honor Guard of Lasan."

"Ugh," Zeb sighed unhappily.

"A reunion!" Hondo chuckled. "I love happy endings! Particularly when they involve me making a large amount of money!"

"How is this possible?" Zeb asked the other two Lasat as Hondo moved the dead and unconscious Imperials into a crate with the help of Sabine, Kanan, Buy'ce, Beviin, Diana, and Lucas. "I wouldn't be surprised if I was the last Lasat alive, though my grandmother survived."

"Do you remember me, Captain Orrelios?" questioned the male.

"You look familiar, but it was so long ago," Zeb admitted. "Sorry for not recognizing you."

"It's quite all right, sir," said the male. "I'm Gron, I served under you as a Lieutenant back in the Guard. This is Chava the Wise."

"Oh yeah," Zeb said. "I know who she is."

"I didn't know you were a Captain," said Ezra, noting Zeb's voice was low.

"He never told any of us," Hera told him.

"It was a long time ago, so I forgot," Zeb lied. In truth he did remember his time as an Honor Guard officer, but Zeb felt guilty for surviving when most of his troops had perished and did not believe he would make a suitable officer.

"We did not," Chava said, correctly guessing Zeb was lying but choosing not to call him out on it.

"Well we gotta get you guys out of here," Ezra said.

Hondo cleared his throat and said, "Wait! Does this mean I am not getting my finder's fee?"

"You never were. Besides, thanks to you cheating the Empire of two wanted fugitives, the bucketheads'll force the taxpayer to cough up more money for their budget. So your ill-gotten gains should be good enough."

"Perfect answer!" Hondo said as Spectre Team walked away, escorting both Gron and Chava.

"You, halt!" A man dressed in bulky black armor ran up to Hondo, flanked by two Stormtroopers.

"Is something wrong, my friends?" Hondo asked.

"There's supposed to be an officer and an entire squad of Stormtroopers here," said the man, his grizzled voice somewhat distorted by his helmet.

Meanwhile Spectre Team, Gron, and Chava were headed to _Ghost_. "Hey, Sabine," Ezra said.

"Yeah?" the young Mandalorian woman responded.

"Are you part Mirialan?" he asked. "You kinda look Mirialan, apart from your brown eyes-which are beautiful, by the way."

"Yeah, my father's Mirialan," she said. "Brown eyes aren't as common amongst them, so I think I inherited them from my Human mother."

Hondo pointed out the rebels and the two fugitives accompanying them to Brigadier General Mael Radec, who nodded and contacted his superior, Major General David Kallus. "Sir," he said, "the informant came through. We have the rebels in our sights."

"Very good, Colonel," Kallus replied. "Move in, I'll be there soon with additional firepower. I want them alive, if possible."

"Sorry, Ezra," Hondo warned discretely. "You got Stormtroopers incoming."

"How close?" Ezra asked just before blaster bolts started flying.

"Very close."

"Spectre One to Spectre Zero, come in!" Kanan shouted as he and Hera drew their sidestms. "We've been engaged, over!"

"I thought you were already married to Captain Syndulla, sir!" Buy'ce joked.

"Not now!"

The Stormtroopers had evidently prepared to ambush the insurgents beforehand, for their arsenal included blast shields. As a result, the rebel fire failed to harm any of the Imperial soldiers, who took advantage of their increased protection.

"MOTHERFUCKER!" Buy'ce cursed as a stray round slammed into his shoulder.

"Kriffing bucketheads!" Sabine snapped as Beviin treated his friend's wound, firing her twin blaster pistols at the Stormtroopers.

"But you're wearing a Mandalorian helmet!" one of them said.

"Yeah!" pointed out another. "That looks more like a bucket then ours do!"

"Well..fuck, you actually got a point."

"We can't move forward!" Hera yelled.

"Well we can't fall back, either," Kanan said.

Suddenly a number of the blast doors closed, sealing off and isolating many of the Stormtroopers.

"What was that?" asked Ezra.

"Just another trick from Hondo Ohnaka's sleeve!" answered a certain pirate.

"Thanks, Hondo. We owe you one!"

"No, we don't!" Kanan yelled as he seized one of the blast shields with the Force then used it to provide moving cover. Their remaining opponents were neutralized.

Already Ahsoka had prepared for liftoff. A few more Stormtroopers tried to prevent the escape of Spectre Team, but Ahsoka was able to use _Ghost's_ nose gun to take them out. The Spectres and the two civilian Lasats then boarded Ghost, which left the outpost just as an Imperial Star Destroyer and three _Carrack_ -class light cruisers exited hyperspace.

"Imps!" Sabine yelled.

"I know, I know!" Ahsoka replied as she engaged the hyperdrive.

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _INTEGRITY_ ***

"I believe that was them, my lord," said Captain Soot, recently promoted from her previous rank of Commander.

Chad nodded. "I sensed a particular presence onboard that freighter, Captain," he stated. "Dock with _Lawbringer_ , Baroness Tano and Starkiller Team will be needed here. So will Agents Kallus and Radec." The Lieutenant Governor of the Outer Rim figured that having Raana, Necrosis, and the Marek twins as backup would be prudent. Chad was a skilled warrior, but he didn't want to face three-on-one odds even if Dume and his apprentice were considerably weaker than Ahsoka.

"Yes, sir."

Kallus contacted them. "Count Vader," he said respectfully, "while the insurgents have fled, my men have identified a informant who could help us find them."

The COMPNOR officer then patched Chad through to an image of a Weequay pirate. "Hello, good sir!" he said cheerfully. "I am willing to help, for I am always willing to assist the Empire!"

 _Hondo? ..._ stang _._

 ***CUT TO: COCKPIT OF ARRS _GHOST_ ***

"So where's Lira San?" Ahsoka asked politely, having handed the controls over to Hera.

"We do not know where it is yet," Chava answered.

"I'm sure we can look it up on a map," Buy'ce said, wincing from the pain of his blaster wound.

"There is no Lira San, kid," said Zeb. "It's an old myth-nothing more, nothing less."

"The time has come for us to prepare the ritual that will take us to our new home," Chava stated.

"I better help you guys with that, then," Ezra said as he accompanied the two Lasat refugees.

"Better keep them from driving that kid crazy," Zeb grunted before leaving the cockpit.

"This is gonna be an interesting ride," Sabine told the Marines.

"Oorah," agreed Buy'ce and Beviin.

"There are three important figures in the Prophecy," said Chava. "The Fool, the Warrior, and the Child. The Fool, simple and selfish, would lead the Warrior, bold and bloodthirsty, to destroy the Child, the hope of tomorrow. Already the Fool is setting events into motion, but we will only find our new home if the Child saves the Warrior and the Fool."

"I only see one child," Zeb pointed out, indicating Ezra. "And he's not saving this warrior."

Chava smiled. "Perhaps you are not the Warrior, Captain."

"Wait, I'm not a child or a fool!"

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _INTEGRITY_ ***

The bridge of _Integrity_ was relatively quiet as she sped through hyperspace.

"Well," Hondo said, breaking the silence, "finding these unfindable rebel insurgents should be no problem for Hondo. Especially after we work out the details of my payment, my new friends!"

Kallus didn't look back as he said, "I assume you have a tracking device, pirate."

Hondo stuttered slightly before saying, "I was just getting to that, Agent Kallus! You are good, this is why I prefer doing business with the Empire!" He then put his hand on Maya's shoulder. "What is your name, my dear?"

"I don't date old men."

"My dear, your words wound me!"

 ***CUT TO: ZEB AND EZRA'S QUARTERS, ARRS _GHOST_ ***

"Zeb, what are you doing?" Ezra asked as he walked into their room, where Zeb had gone with his rifle after Chava and Gron had started chanting. "These are your people, yet you act like you want nothing to do with them!"

"Chanting ain't gonna save anybody," Zeb snarled back.

"Why, how do you know?"

Zeb sighed and lowered his voice. "During the Fall of Lasan, my unit was tasked with defending the Royal Family. Their safety was my responsibility."

"You couldn't have stopped the Empire," Ezra tried to console him. "It wasn't your fault Kallus ended up ordering the use of disruptors."

"I failed in my duty, Ezra!" Zeb actually wiped away a couple of tears. " _Karabast_ , I got knocked out by an explosion and when I awoke the entire karking building was on fire! The vast majority of my men and all of the Royals died because of me!"

"Zeb, you got a chance to help your people again!" Ezra insisted.

"They call me Captain," said Zeb. "I don't deserve to be called that, I failed!"

"So don't fail them now."

 ***CUT TO: COMMUNAL AREA, ARRS _GHOST_ ***

"We are ready for your map," Gron said as he and Chava ceased chanting.

Kanan nodded to Chopper, who promptly displayed a map. "The path to Lira San will be revealed through the fates of the Three," said Chava as she put her staff in front of Chopper's projector, turning the displayed planets green.

Ezra and Zeb both walked in. "The Child must save the Warrior and the Fool," she said. "The Child must show us the way."

Zeb smiled and nudged Ezra, only to be disappointed when it turned out Chava meant him. "I really wanted to be the Warrior!" the tall and muscular rebel complained.

"You're kinda acting like a child."

"Shut up."

Gron directed Zeb to use his bo-rifle as the Ancients of Lasan did so, and he did. Soon after Lira San was indicated.

 ***CUT TO: COCKPIT OF ARRS _GHOST_ ***

"How far is it to Lira San?" Sabine asked.

"Well, judging by this-."

Suddenly alarms began to beep, indicating the hyperdrive was initiating an emergency shutdown. "Shields up!" ordered Hera.

"What's wrong?" Ahsoka questioned as she entered the cockpit.

"We're coming out of hyperspace!" Sabine answered. "The hyperdrive's safety overrides kicked in."

Ezra gasped as what had forced an emergency shutdown of the hyperdrive came into view. "What is that?"

"Imploded star cluster," said Hera. "Biggest one I've ever seen. We get any closer, the gravity field will tear us apart."

Gron entered the cockpit. "What happened? Are we oncourse?"

"Yeah, we are," Kanan said. "But our course is blocked by the worst type of space anomaly ever."

"Of all time," Ahsoka added. "One of the dangers of jumping into uncharted space."

"Aah!" Chava exclaimed. "This is the maze that was prophesied!"

"Wait, a maze?!" inquired Zeb. "You never said anything about a maze! Forcedammit, you prophecy types always pull something like this!"

Suddenly the radar began to beep, followed by Diana speaking up from _Phantom_. "In the unlikely event that the scanners didn't pick anything up," she said, "we got an ISD and three cruisers on our six!"

"Attention, rebel scum," said Kallus's voice via comms. "As much as I'd like to see you die because of the navigational hazard we can all see, my superiors want someone you have onboard. Therefore, I am offering you an opportunity to survive. Surrender and prepare to be boarded, refuse to surrender and be destroyed, or commit a mass suicide fleeing into that cluster. You have one minute to decide."

"How did that asshole find us?!" Zeb snarled.

"Hello, my friends!"

Ezra: "Hondo? What are you doing with him?!"

"I must apologize, Ezra," responded the privateer. "I hid a tracker aboard the comlink I gave you and your droid for insurance."

Chopper promptly produced the comlink, which Ezra destroyed. "Thanks a lot, Hondo. You've been a great help in getting us all killed."

"Forty-five seconds to decide, rebels," stated Kallus.

"I can't believe it!" snapped Zeb. "Kallus, of all people, is the one who's gonna be the death of us?"

Chava chuckled. "He does play his part in the prophecy as Warrior."

"Wait, he's the Warrior? How come he's the Warrior while I'm the Child!"

Lucas cleared his throat. "Well he is trying to kill us all, so there is that."

Zeb shook his head. "Kark it, Kellan. Ezra, get me my rifle."

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _INTEGRITY_ ***

Bell shook her head after a minute passed. _Are these guys really dumb enough to think they can go into that anomaly?_

"Enemies of the Empire," Agent Kallus said, "your time is up. What is your answer?"

There was no verbal response-instead, Bell could see the rebel freighter begin to _accelerate_ towards the star cluster.

"Son of a bitch," her brother, Galen, said.

"Yeah," she concurred. "These terrorists are not the brightest stars in the galaxy."

"Sirs and ma'ams," said the sensor operator, "enemy vessel is moving towards the anomaly."

"And you meatbags say droids are dumb," commented Necrosis.

"Why would they go into the cluster?" Ohnaka asked. "Hey, Ezra? If you all wish to die, I'm certain that the Imperial Navy will offer a less painful way to commit suicide."

"No, they believe they can successfully navigate through the anomaly," Count Vader said as he contacted _Lawbringer_. "Captain Zataire, have your fighters intercept _Ghost_."

A few TIEs that had been already deployed from the Star Destroyer moved in to try and shoot down the freighter. However, the nimble fighters were torn apart by the gravity field of the imploded star cluster. _Ghost_ proceeded on unharmed, as if nothing had happened.

"Kriff!" Bell cursed, angered at the death of her fellow Imperials while she could do nothing to stop it.

"Open fire!" Baroness Tano, Bell and Galen's master, ordered.

"You heard the Baroness!" said Captain Soot. "Shoot that ship down!"

The turbolasers, laser cannons, and ion cannons of _Integrity_ opened fire, but none of the rounds hit. In fact, all the shots arced off before they could connect with their target.

"We'll be torn apart!" Ohnaka said as the gravity field started to tear off pieces of metal.

"Kriff it!" Count Vader snarled. "Let them go to their destruction, we'll have to settle for watching them die from a safe distance. I repeat, disengage and fall back, we have no choice but to retreat."

The helmsman complied wordlessly. It was an order everyone would happily obey out of self-preservation.

 ***CUT TO: COCKPIT OF ARRS _GHOST_ ***

"Hey, Zeb," Ezra asked. "How was Lira San?"

"Better than I expected," the Lasat answered happily. "Turns out there are millions of Lasat down there, it's actually where my people originated."

"Somewhat small on a galactic scale," Ahsoka commented. "But your people are safe considering how hard it is to navigate to Lira San."

"Nothing worth doing is easy, boss," Zeb responded. "Nothing worth doing is easy."

"Hey, that's my line!"

Everyone laughed.

 ***CUT TO: _ARK ANGEL_ ***

Barriss looked Aphra in the eye. "Doctor, have you acquired a Spaarti cloning cylinder yet?"

"Yes, Lady Offee," the rogue archaeologist answered. "Took half the budget, but we now have a cloning cylinder. In light of Imperial regulations on the cloning of sentient beings, I was lucky to find a Spaarti cylinder on the black market that didn't have a price tag twice the amount of our robbery proceeds. Too many people wanna avoid filing out the paperwork and getting on the Empire's radar.

The Mirialan Dark Side Adept frowned. "Such is the nature of our operation," she said. It was annoying to spend so many credits on one piece of equipment, but the cylinder was invaluable. With it, agents loyal to Vader and Barriss could be created. Barriss knew the Emperor was undoubtedly making his own clone Dark Jedi (the High Inquisitor doubted Dume's arm had been requested as a trophy), so it was simple logic on the part of her and Vader to create their own warriors. After all, to survive in the upper echelons of the Empire, one could not be weak in any way, shape, or form.

 **ME: You guys can imagine Sabine as having a Korra-like physique and Diana having a more Kuvira-type build-not as strong due to not wearing armor (at least, not now), but still pretty fit. Thank Ahsokafanboy1138 for that, as well as the theory that Sabine's part Mirialan.**

 **I'm wondering if Amersu should sound like the Imperial Agent from SWTOR.**

 **Sorry for kinda skipping over things, but I was pressed for time and didn't like Legends of the Lasat that much. Though it was still way better than the Call, and it was pretty enjoyable.**

 **Does anyone else notice that both sides in Rebels use child soldiers? Ezra starts off as fourteen (Sabine isn't as bad at sixteen, which is the minimal age for enlistment in Britain) and the cadets are all teenagers. Of course, if Ahsoka being a Commander is anything to go by, child soldiers are perfectly acceptable in SW, and the Imps (more specifically, Aresko) _encourage_ backstabbing.**

 **Ahsokafanboy1138 has suggested that I have the 501st be taught to use lightsaber-proof batons (albeit shorter than the First Order ones) by Anakin. I do wonder if anyone could afford to buy that much lightsaber-resistant material (though in all honesty, considering how the FO batons are riot control gear, stuff like cortosis could be cheaper now for all we know).**

 **I named the Imp officer after Uwe Boll and one of his lead actors. Seriously, the only reason Boll still makes money is the fact that he's cheap.**


	37. The Refinery

**ME: Now time to adapt "The Call"...which was basically, for a real life analogy, the equivalent of Navy SEALs invading an Iranian oil rig or refinery, stealing all the oil, then blowing it up without letting the workers evacuate first.**

 **In order words, quite possibly the stupidest episode yet. What the hell was Filoni smoking?**

One Citizenry. One Empire. One Emperor.

 **(Slogan used by COMPNOR)**

"We need fuel to continue operations," Commodore Ackbar said as the meeting began. "The Mining Guild has a refinery in the Corporate Sector that is providing fuel to the Empire." The Mon Calamari officer then tapped at the holotank, displaying the planetoid where said refinery was located. "If we raid that refinery, we can kill two mynocks with one shot."

Kanan nodded. "Spectre Team can infiltrate that refinery," said the Jedi Colonel. "A corvette coming in for a landing will be spotted, enabling the refinery to raise an alarm. A battalion of Marines will probably be able to handle any local security, but that won't matter if a VSD shoots their corvette down before it can get clear of the planetoid. My team and I, on the other hand, can infiltrate the refinery and make sure they won't be able to call for reinforcements."

Colonel Odie Subu, attending the meeting via hologram from aboard _Jun Sato_ (a corvette renamed after the deceased man who once served as Commodore of Phoenix Fleet), nodded. "Sounds like a plan, Colonel Jarrus. Once you've made sure that these unfortunate bastards can't call for reinforcements, _Sato_ can land and provide reinforcements. _Liberator_ and the rest of the fleet can remain in orbit to discourage the curious."

Ackbar: "Is there anything either of you wish to bring up?" When neither of the Colonels said anything after ten seconds, the Commodore smiled. "Then it seems we are in agreement."

The vessels of Phoenix Fleet powered up their hyperdrives, angled themselves towards the Corporate Sector, and jumped into hyperspace.

 ***CUT TO: LANDING PAD, MINING GUILD REFINERY***

"Welcome to our newest refinery, Baron Tagge," said Drew Trump, President and CEO of the Mining Guild. "We appreciate your investments in this magnificent facility, my lord."

The business magnate and nobleman nodded. "I am always looking to improve the financial situation of my family," Baron Orman Tagge responded. "My brother Silas here, on the other hand, is interested in the local purrgil population as test subjects for his research."

A stout Rodian who managed the refinery named Yushyn stepped forward. "Your Lordship," he said in a respectful tone, "I will kill as many of those disgusting things as your brother wishes. The purrgil are nothing but interstellar travel hazards that try and consume the gas we refine, Baron. It's not as if they're ecologically invaluable, sir, so I could kill all of them today and I wouldn't lose any sleep over it."

Doctor Silas Tagge nodded at Yushyn. "I appreciate your enthusiasm, Foreman. One can never have too many lab animals, so kill and retrieve as many as you can."

 ***CUT TO: COCKPIT OF ARRS _GHOST_ ***

"Exiting hyperspace in t-minus ten," Hera said, "nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, _now_."

The infamous (amongst Imperials) freighter dropped back into realspace. Just as _Ghost_ finished decelerating, her Captain noticed a group of animals she never liked.

"Purgill!" Hera yelled as she contacted Phoenix Fleet. " _Ghost_ Actual to Fleet, be advised: In case none of you have noticed, we have a pod of purgill right off our bows! Commodore Ackbar, do you read? Over."

"I read you loud and clear, Captain Syndulla," Ackbar responded. "All ships, these purgill are nothing but navigation hazards. Feel free to use them for target practice, but keep energy expenditures to a minimum. Happy hunting, everyone."

"NO!" Ezra said as he rushed into the cockpit. "Hera, these animals aren't malicious!"

"I've lost friends thanks to these purgill, Ezra." Hera kept her voice level even though the Padawan had annoyed her slightly. "I won't lose people in an effort to be nice."

The five corvettes of Phoenix Fleet opened fire with their laser cannons. Against such firepower, the purgill pod had no chance and all of the beasts were killed within a minute.

"I could have saved them," Ezra said, glum.

"I'm sorry, but we can't take unnecessary risks, Ezra," Hera said in an effort to console the boy.

Sabine entered the cockpit in full armor and carrying Ezra's helmet. "Hey, Ez," she said as the young Mandalorian tossed the Jedi his helmet, "get your bucket on. We're jumping."

"Jumping, Sab?" Ezra asked as they went to the airlock. Present were Kanan, Chopper, and Lucas. The rebel agent now wore a modified version of the armor worn by Phoenix Fleet's SEAL detachment, while Ezra's master wore a decorated suit of Stormtrooper armor.

"Sabine," said Kanan, "I thought I only let you borrow this suit to look at it."

"Well I didn't like the look of it," she replied. "Look at it this way, now there's no way anyone on our side's gonna shoot you."

"We're jumping?" Ezra asked, for Sabine hadn't thought to explain things for him.

"Yeah," answered Lucas. "We need to avoid alerting the Guild, so we jump and thus avoid showing up on their sensors. Also, this planetoid's gas is toxic, so keep that helmet sealed."

"Copy that," replied Ezra. "But you got a jetpack and Sabine can use Chopper, how exactly are Kanan and I gonna land?"

Kanan: "We'll use the Force."

"Okay..."

The five rebels jumped out of _Ghost_ soon after. Lucas used his jetpack (which actually used a pair of miniaturized ion engines rather than jet engines) to slow down, while Sabine held onto Chopper as the droid slowed himself down. Kanan was able to successfully land with the Force, but Ezra was not as lucky as his master, forcing the older Jedi to save him.

"I'm gonna have to work on that," Ezra said after he started to breathe normally again. "Thanks, Kanan."

"You're welcome, and I'll make sure you do."

Unfortunately, a Rodian guard (whose partner had successfully killed a purgill with an E-Web) turned around and spotted the quintet. "Fierfek, intruders!" the security guard cursed as he opened fire.

Kanan deflected the red particle bolts while Ezra took cover behind his instructor and shot the Rodian with a stun round. His partner, having just finished yelling, "Intruder alert! Intruder alert!" into his comlink, cursed in Huttese before opening fire with his E-Web.

"So much for our stealth mission!" commented Lucas as he aimed at the Mining Guild PMC with his suppressed SMG and fired a five-round burst.

Kanan nodded before contacting Hera. "Spectre One to Spectre Two, be advised: We may have alerted the Guild, over."

"May have?"

 ***CUT TO: CONTROL ROOM, MINING GUILD REFINERY***

Trump smiled as he led the two scions of the House of Tagge on a tour of the refinery. "As you can see, Baron Tagge and Doctor Tagge," the CEO of the Mining Guild said, "this refinery is fully operational and is operating without-."

"Intruder alert! Intruder alert!"

"Wait, what?" Trump sputtered.

"Unidentified sender on this channel," said a female Rodian technician, "this is Dispatch. Please identify yourself and state your location, over."

"Sirs, sirs!" another technician, this one sitting at a surveillance station, said. "Cameras have sighted intruders on the patrol bridge!"

"Fuel thieves!" Boss Yushyn hissed before he proceeded to start barking orders. "Sound the alarm and alert our sentries, protect the shipment at all costs! Someone activate the droids as well!"

"This can't be happening!" protested Trump. "How did they infiltrate the facility? What do I pay you people for?!"

Orman shook his head. "They cannot be nearly as overpaid as you are."

"I will personally ensure whoever brings me back at least one intact intruder corpse," Silas told Yushyn. "A scientist must have as much biological material as he can acquire."

Yushyn: "Sir, yes, sir!" Privately, though, the somewhat overweight Rodian was somewhat disturbed by the Human nobleman and his obsession with collecting test subjects.

 ***CUT TO: PATROL BRIDGE, MINING GUILD REFINERY***

"Spectre One to all units, we've been compromised!" Kanan said into his comlink as the Mining Guild guards opened fire. "I say again, the Guild's aware of our presence! Stealth's no longer an option, does anyone copy?"

"This is _Sato_ Actual, I copy," said the Captain of _Sato_. "We'll jam their transmissions so they can't call for help and move in to land, do you read? Over."

"Loud and clear, _Sato_ Actual!" Kanan responded.

"Ezra, we need covering fire!" Lucas said, having switched to a dropped E-11 rifle since his slugthrower SMG didn't have a very long range.

"Covering!" the Padawan replied, shooting at the guards. Besides the Rodians, there were also a number of B1 battle droids and Guardian police droids (which had served the Coruscant Security Force but had been retired from service following the end of the Clone Wars) repainted, modified, and reprogrammed to serve the Mining Guild.

The refinery's complement of modified TIE fighters took off. One of them moved in to provide air support for the Guild guards and targeted Ezra. Knowing he would not be able to survive a protracted fight with the TIEs, the Lothalite Jedi abandoned the E-Web and ran for cover.

"We really could use Hera right about now!" he told Kanan.

"I know!" Kanan replied. "Hera, where the kriff are you?"

"Right where I need to be," Hera said as she targeted the TIE targeting her husband and surrogate children before firing and destroying it.

Just as one of the Mining Guild fighters gained a lock on _Ghost_ , _Sato_ opened fire with her six laser cannons. The remaining TIEs were soon all shot down, prompting the security guards to flee inside, the organic PMCs and droids having correctly guessed that the rebel corvette would not fire upon the refinery.

Kanan, having sensed the presence of an organic crew aboard a luxury starship parked on the landing pad, allowed the crew to flee to safety before clearing _Sato_ to destroy it so she could land. He then greeted Colonel Subu as the CR90's landing ramp lowered to let the Marines off.

"Good to see you and your soldiers, Colonel Subu," Kanan said to the older officer.

" _Marines,_ " Subu corrected, knowing that correcting another officer was inappropriate but mildly annoyed at the younger Colonel for referring to her troops as _soldiers_. "But same here, Colonel Jarrus. Is your team ready?"

"They are."

Zeb came down the ramp of _Ghost_ , which had landed before _Sato_ had, armed with a Z-6 rotary blaster cannon. "I can't wait to use this thing," he said, smiling underneath his respirator.

"Not here, Zeb," instructed Kanan. "We can't risk any accidental explosions, so use your rifle instead and watch your fire."

"Ugh," the Lasat Sergeant Major replied, but Zeb obeyed orders and grabbed his bo-rifle.

The Marines and Spectre Team entered the refinery, the former using blast shields to provide moving cover. While the Mining Guild security force had the home field advantage, they were not trained (or programmed, in the case of the droids) to face opponents such as the Alliance Marine Corps and many of the organic guards lacked proper experience. The personal guards of the Tagges and Trump were better trained and equipped, but they were still gunned down by the rebel troops and were unable to turn the tide. Before long all the security droids had been destroyed, leaving the Marines to collect their dead and wounded and guard the prisoners, which consisted mainly of civilian workers but also a few organic guards that had surrendered and a few men who definitely were not part of the refinery's workforce judging by their attire.

Kanan looked at a dark-haired man with a goatee and a pair of cybernetic eyes. "Who are you?" he asked.

The older man laughed. "Typical rebel rube," he sneered. "Ignorant of the identities of your betters."

Sabine tapped at a datapad. "This is Baron Orman Tagge," she said with distaste. "Head of the noble family House of Tagge and the Tagge Company, the latter of which is also known as TaggeCo. The balding guy with blue hair is his brother, Doctor Silas Tagge, head scientist of TaggeCo. The asshole with the ugly combover is Drew Trump, President and CEO of the Mining Guild."

"My hair is not ugly!" argued Trump. "And I am not an asshole!"

Sabine responded by raising her middle finger. "These guys have two brothers and a sister. Their brothers are both Imperial Military, though their sister hasn't been seen in awhile."

"My sister is above the lust of the media, girl!" Orman snarled.

"I heard rumors about their sister, Domina Tagge, in the Academy," said Lucas. "Apparently Silas suggested she marry into the Imperial Family when she got old enough, Orman got pissed and assaulted him before sending her to join the Order of the Sacred Circle, apparently because he wanted Domina to remain the one person in their family who was pure, uncorrupted, and innocent."

"Wait," Colonel Subu questioned before Orman could respond, "he responded to Silas suggesting she agree to a political marriage by assaulting him and sending her to some remote colony?"

"I did what I had to do, peasant!" insulted Orman.

"That actually sounds kind of creepy," Ezra commented. "You could've just persuaded her not to marry some distant relative of the Emperor's or something."

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF ARRS _LIBERATOR_ ***

"Spectre One to Fleet Actual," said Colonel Jarrus as his hologram materialized into view.

"Receiving, Colonel Jarrus," Ackbar responded.

"Commodore, we've secured the refinery," reported the Jedi Colonel. "Marines've taken casualties, but _Sato's_ handling the wounded. Additionally, we've taken three CSA VIPs prisoner. One of them is Baron Tagge."

"Wonderful news, Colonel," the Mon Calamari officer said. "I'm sorry to hear about the losses, but thanks to you and your team Colonel Subu's regiment has lost less good men and women."

"Sirs!" said the sensor operator. "We're picking up contacts coming out of hyperspace!"

"Shields up," ordered Captain H'Arman.

A _Victory I_ -class Star Destroyer and a pair of _Marauder_ -class corvettes exited hyperspace. Ackbar cringed; the VSD was relatively slow at sublight speed, but it had more firepower than all of Phoenix Fleet and the Picket Fleet corvettes were better armed than any of the CR90s.

"Colonel Jarrus, CSA ships have entered the system," he told the Jedi Knight. "We'll have to retreat or risk being destroyed."

"Wait, Commodore Ackbar," said Jarrus. "I have an idea."

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF CSAS _ETTI IV_ ***

"Commodore, we are receiving a transmission from the refinery."

Commodore Nick Slatten raised an eyebrow in curiosity before he answered the hail, choosing to respond via his personal viewscreen.

"Star Destroyer," said a Human male with a ponytail, "I am a Colonel of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. I have urgent information for you."

"Not now, rebel," Slatten replied dismissively. "I have your armada to demolish." A bloodthirsty man who had hoped his squadron would encounter and engage pirates on their patrols, the Picket Fleet officer had been pleased to have an opportunity to fight rebel terrorists. Slatten hoped to capture their flagship and trade the leading insurgents to the Empire for a reward, though if he had to the CSA Commodore would be satisfied with simply destroying every ship he saw and annihilating any escape pods they launched.

"I was afraid you'd say that," said the rebel before he grabbed another man offscreen and dragged him into view. "Do you recognize this guy?"

Slatten's eyes widened in shock. It was Baron Orman Tagge, head of the House of Tagge and CEO of TaggeCo. "This is just a trick!"

"I'm going to make you a deal, buddy," said the Colonel. "You not only hold your fire, but allow our ships to refuel in peace then leave. In exchange, we will leave you Baron Tagge and his brother as well as Drew Trump in an escape pod before jumping to hyperspace and we will leave this refinery intact."

"You bluff!" Slatten yelled. "How do I even know if-."

"-I am Baron Tagge, you fool!" said the Tepasi nobleman. "Now do as he says!"

"Or you can engage my friends in orbit," said the rebel Colonel. "You can probably kill them all if they don't escape into hyperspace, but then I will have no reason to not take Tagge as a hostage. You think your superiors will appreciate you if Baron Tagge ends up a prisoner of the Alliance thanks to you?"

Slatten pounded his fist in anger but complied. "Stand down," he ordered. "The rebels have the upper hand for once in their miserable lives."

"I'm glad we could reason with you, buddy."

The rebel corvettes and transports entered the atmosphere of the planetoid, refueled, then reentered space before initiating their hyperjumps. The last rebel ship, a CR90 corvette, left the atmosphere and hailed _Etti IV_.

"You've held up your end of the bargain, Picket Fleet. So we will honor ours."

An escape pod was jettisoned, and the corvette fled into hyperspace soon after. Slatten was tempted to give the order to fire the moment the pod was away, but he didn't want to risk killing the Tagges and Trump.

After the irate Baron Tagge, his brother Doctor Tagge, and Trump were recovered, Slatten attempted to hail the refinery but received no response and the sensor operated reported that the facility's thermal signature was inconsistent with that of an active refinery after scanning it. Alarmed, he sent a platoon of Espos and a squadron of Authority IRD-A fighters to investigate but they reported that the rebels had fried the facility with an EMP. The refinery was intact, but it was effectively disabled. The Commodore knew he would be lucky just to be demoted and disgraced; thanks to the rebels, an economic blow had been struck against the Corporate Sector Authority.

 _I am so fucked._

 **ME: This chapter is dedicated to Alexander "Sasha" Pechersky, a Russian Jew who led a successful uprising in the Sobibor concentration camp during World War Two, only to be mistreated by Stalin, a very evil Georgian with an ugly mustache. Forget the leftist apologists, the USSR was not kind to Jews.**

 **There's a reason jetpacks haven't been mass produced in real life, just check out TV Tropes. They look cool, but in reality they'd be really impractical. Clearing flying cars and maglev trains are what we should look forward to instead for our future transportation needs.**

 **I named the Mining Guild CEO after Trump and the idiot who wrote Lightsaber Lost, though I dislike the former more for insulting McCain, a man who was a guest at the Hanoi Hilton (spoiler alert: it was a hellish POW camp). Not subtle, but subtlety already shot itself in the head with a 5.7 when I had COMPNOR Put on the Reich in the quote (though COMPNOR itself has been compared to the SS).**

 **I'm not an expert on fusion fuel, but considering how deuterium is an isotope of hydrogen I figure you wouldn't want to risk shooting barrels of fusion fuel. I read a mini-novel by Tom Clancy where a unit of Marines tasked with securing an oil field or a refinery, I don't remember, used beanbag rounds for this exact reason. I was originally gonna have the rebels use stun rounds but thought it would be stupid.**

 **I got information on Cassio's weird brothers from Wookieepedia and my good friend Ahsokafanboy1138.**

 **Theory: Hux and Kylo being even more antagonistic compared to Tarkin and Vader was intentional to reflect them being younger. Additionally, Kylo suggesting the FO use clones actually does makes sense in-universe. Besides disliking Hux, Kylo strives to emulate his grandfather and Vader was at his most badass when he only had a prosthetic hand for cybernetics and the 501st were all-clone.**

 **I named Slatten after a Blackwater (now Academi) contractor who was convicted of first-degree murder. Ironically Blackwater actually had a good record beforehand.**


	38. Homecoming

**ME: Now time for Homecoming to be adapted.**

The traditional Rylothian independent streak is both a blessing and a curse for the local malcontents, Director Isard. While the insurgents of the self-styled "Free Ryloth movement" have not become pawns of larger rebel terrorist organizations such as the anti-Human Diversity Alliance, lack of outside aid has made the insurgency on Ryloth weaker.

 **(Lieutenant Colonel Oniye Namada of the Imperial Security Bureau, speaking to Director Armand Isard of COMPNOR, sometime after the Declaration of a New Order)**

"Hurry up, Zeb!" Hera shouted as she piloted flew away from the TIEs and the _Imperial_ -class Star Destroyer in pursuit of her, a few of Phoenix Squadron's A-wings, _Sato_ , and one of the Hammerheads.

"Steady...steady..." Zeb said. "There! Cargo transfer complete."

The Captain of _Ghost_ sighed in relief and separated her ship from the Hammerhead corvette. "Transport, you're good to go," said Hera.

"Copy that, Captain Syndulla. Thanks, we owe you and the others drinks," the Hammerhead skipper said before the cargo vessel entered hyperspace.

"Transport's clear, everyone!" Kanan ordered. "Let's get out of here!"

All but one of the A-wings jumped into hyperspace. "Phoenix Leader, _Sato_ Actual," stated the pilot of the sole remaining A-wing, "my hyperdrive is damaged. Repeat, hyperdrive's damaged. Attempting to dock, over."

"Make it quick, Phoenix Two!" Hera warned the female pilot. "Those TIEs are closing in fast!"

Phoenix Two desperately tried to dock with _Sato_ while the corvette's gunners offered covering fire. Unfortunately, one of the TIEs got lucky and shot her down before Kanan was able to destroy the Imperial fighter.

"Phoenix Two's dead, we have to jump immediately!" Hera engaged the hyperdrive of _Ghost_ but did so with a sad look on her face.

 _Yet another pilot who I was responsible for has died,_ the Twi'lek rebel thought.

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF ARRS _LIBERATOR_ ***

"We're not just losing fighters," Hera said at the meeting. "Phoenix Squadron's losing pilots faster than we can replace them, and they're now at half-strength at best."

"I hear the Headhunter squadron we use for escort duty isn't much better off," added Colonel Subu, attending the meeting via hologram. "I'm a grunt, but that doesn't stop me from feeling empathy for the flyboys. Sorry about your losses, Captain Syndulla."

"Thank you, Colonel," Hera said.

"I have a solution to our problem," said Ahsoka. "Actually, this will solve two problems. Senator Organa's been trying to contact this independent rebel group, the Free Ryloth movement. An Imperial light carrier's been assigned to counter-insurgency duties in their home system. If we can steal that ship, not only will the Imps be unable to attack Ryloth with it but we can use it to house all of our fighters."

Ackbar smiled. "A light carrier?" he asked. "Right now all we have for warships is a squadron of corvettes, General Tano. Ma'am, would acquiring a carrier make Phoenix Fleet a battle group?"

Ahsoka: "Yes. Phoenix Fleet was named as such for morale, but I'm sure Phoenix Battle Group would be just as satisfying for the troops."

"I know the cell you mentioned, General," Hera said, her voice only betraying a hint of unease. "I'll contact them."

Kanan raised an eyebrow. "You're actually gonna talk to him?"

"We don't have a choice," Hera replied. "More importantly, we need that carrier."

She then headed for _Ghost_ , currently docked with _Liberator_. The young Twi'lek officer did not want to speak with the leader of the Free Ryloth movement, but there were no other options.

"Hera," Cham Syndulla said when he answered her call. "This is unexpected."

"Father, we need to talk."

 ***CUT TO: DOCKING PORT, ARRS _LIBERATOR_ ***

"Straighten up!" Kanan ordered Ezra as he dusted his tunic off. "You're making me look bad! Stop looking so nervous!"

" _You're_ the one looking nervous," pointed out Ezra.

Hera sighed and said, "Look, Kanan, just let me and everyone else do most of the talking."

Shortly after the Free Ryloth ship docked with _Liberator_ , and Cham entered with two other Twi'leks in tow.

"Father," Hera greeted him. "It's been a long time."

Cham nodded. "Indeed," he said before looking at Kanan. "You must be Hera's Jedi husband."

"Yes, sir," Kanan responded as he extended his hand. "The name's Jarrus, Kanan Jarrus. It's a privilege to meet you, General Syndulla."

The older man nodded, shaking Kanan's offered hand. "Thank you, Colonel Jarrus. Just one thing." Cham looked Kanan in the eye. "I am disappointed by Hera not giving me a chance to at least speak to you before you married her, but Hera is a grown woman. However, she will never stop being my daughter. So I tell you this-if she ever gets hurt in anyway or sheds a single tear because of you, I will hunt you down and cut off your-."

"Father!" Hera interrupted.

The older Twi'lek shook his head. "I was saying what any father would say, Hera," he said before addressing the rest of Spectre Team. "My name is Cham Syndulla. This is my second-in-command, Gobi Glie, and my personal bodyguard, Numa."

"Zeb, Sabine, Ezra, Diana, and Lucas," Hera said, indicating her subordinates as she introduced them. "Oh, and Chopper's the astromech I recovered back on Ryloth. As you can see, he's come a long way. I trust that you want to start the briefing now, Father?"

Cham nodded. "Yes, we need to plan the mission."

The Twi'lek leader moved forward, only to be stopped by one of the two Marines guarding the docking port. "Sorry, sir," said the Marine. "Your subordinates are gonna have to stay on your ship while you are going to have to surrender any weapons. This is simply standard operating procedure, General Syndulla. The Free Ryloth movement isn't part of the Alliance, so protocol dictates stricter security measures."

Cham frowned. "You think my people are Imperial spies and collaborators, boy?" he questioned rather harshly.

Luckily enough, Ahsoka showed up and intervened. "Let General Syndulla and these two subordinates of his pass, Marine," she said. "Don't worry, I'll be there in the highly improbable event they turn out to be infiltrators. You and your partner need only keep anyone else from getting onboard, got it?"

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am," the Marines answered.

The other rebels proceeded to the bridge, where Ahsoka began the briefing. "As you all know," she stated, "the Empire has a carrier in orbit around Ryloth. Bombers from this carrier have been used to hit targets on Ryloth and have the advantage of being protected from retaliatory attacks from the local rebels. If we steal an Imperial shuttle, we can infiltrate the carrier and take her over. Not only will the Empire no longer be able to attack Ryloth with this carrier, but we will then be able to house our fighters."

"General Tano," Cham spoke up, "I appreciate what you did for Ryloth during the Clone Wars and thank you on behalf of all Rylothians. But, with all due respect, I must disagree with this plan. This monstrosity and its bombers have killed many of my people, they should burn in orbit for all of Ryloth to see!"

Diana, having removed her helmet, rolled her eyes. "Really, General Syndulla?" she said. "You do realize that the Empire, if it wants Ryloth that badly, will just send a new carrier, right? Sure, you'd have taken out a single _Quasar Fire_ -class light carrier, but the Empire is an interstellar one and will be able to replace it. But even if you do survive blowing up that carrier, all the Empire will do is bring the hammer down on Ryloth. Good luck fending off Palps's fanatical minions, especially if they're all pissed at you for blowing their buddies up."

Cham glared, but Hera raised a hand before he could speak. "Diana, you were a bit blunt and rude about it," said the younger Twi'lek, "but you have a point. Father, we need to take this carrier. In the end, we'll all be better off for it."

"I see the girl's point," Cham said. "Fortunately, I have enough freedom fighters to take control of this ship."

 ***CUT TO: _LAMBDA_ -CLASS SHUTTLE APPROACHING HIMS** **_QUASAR FIRE_ ***

Captain Amersu Soot put away her datapad as the shuttle approached her temporary new command. The first of her class, HIMS _Quasar Fire_ was a light carrier. Although not as versatile as, say, Star Destoryers, light carriers were cheaper and perfectly suited for serving as starfighter platforms.

 _I don't like this at all,_ Soot thought, _no matter what Count Vader thinks this will do for my career. Besides, I'm not eager to make Admiral or Moff anyway. Admittedly_ Integrity _deserves a stay in a dry dock, but I'm addicted to her._

"Captain Soot," said one of the pilots, " _Quasar Fire_ just cleared us to land. We'll be onboard in approximately sixty seconds, ma'am."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Soot replied.

The _Lambda_ -class shuttle landed, and when the Twi'lek Captain walked down the ramp she was surprised to see the Governor of the Ryloth sector.

"Moff Mors!" Soot said, saluting. "I didn't expect to see you here, ma'am."

"An old woman like me needs to inspect ships under her command in order to keep up on things, Captain Soot," Mors responded. "Besides, I'm not the only surprise aboard. Minister Tol Sivron is waiting in an adjacent hangar, he's here for a tour of this fine vessel."

A career naval officer, Soot disliked dealing with politicians and bureaucrats but orders were orders. "Very well, Governor," she said. "As Captain, I suppose I will have to give him the tour myself."

"Don't worry, Captain Soot," said Mors. "I'm sure everything will be fine."

 ***CUT TO: STOLEN _SENTINEL_ -CLASS LANDING CRAFT***

Hera smiled as her chronometer beeped. Having exited hyperspace five minutes before, she knew that the others would be arriving to help sell the deception soon.

"Hold on, everyone," the Twi'lek officer said via the intercom. "This is gonna get a little-."

"-bumpy?" Zeb cut in.

Hera shrugged. "Well, I was gonna say crashy. But yeah, bumpy works."

Ahsoka and two pilots from Phoenix Squadron dropped out of hyperspace in a trio of A-wings. The moment the landing craft's radar warning receiver began to beep Hera accelerated and changed course towards the carrier.

Kanan: "Mayday! Mayday! Shuttle pilot to _Quasar Fire_ , we are under attack by rebel fighters! I repeat, we're under attack! Requesting permission to land, over!"

"Incoming shuttle, transmit your clearance codes," said a woman with a Coruscanti accent.

"Transmitting now, ma'am!" Kanan said as Hera transmitted the codes.

"Shuttle, proceed to Hangar Two," the female voice said after a few seconds. "Don't worry, we'll save your bacon."

The carrier opened fire while patrolling CAPs were vectored in and TIEs were launched from _Quasar Fire_. Ahsoka acquired a target lock on the shuttle and opened fire, penetrating the shields. Having sufficiently damaged the lander, Ahsoka ordered a retreat and proceeded to shoot down any TIE unfortunate enough to get in her way before fleeing into hyperspace.

"Mayday, Mayday!" yelled Kanan. " _Quasar Fire_ , we're going down! I repeat, we are going down! Mayday, Mayday!"

"Hang on!" Hera ordered the others, knowing it was not going to be a comfortable landing.

"I hate it when she says that!" Zeb told his teammates and the platoon of Free Ryloth insurgents Cham had brought with him for the mission.

The shuttle crashed, sending Sabine and most of the others to the floor. As the young Mandalorian shook her head, she saw a number of explosives that had spilled out from a bag.

"Wait, explosives?"

Cham's troops had recovered quicker, now aiming blaster carbines at the Alliance members. "Sorry, my friends," said Numa. "But General Syndulla gave us our orders."

"Wait, what?!" Zeb.

"Traitors!" Sabine snapped.

"Oh, son of a-," Ezra exclaimed before being shot by a stun round. Lucas, having gotten his bearings faster, was able to draw a pistol and shoot one of the treacherous Twi'leks in the shoulder before being knocked unconscious.

Kanan groggily came to only to be stunned by Cham before he could reach for his lightsaber. Chopper was shot shortly after as well. "Father!" snapped Hera, angered and upset. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"I am sorry for deceiving you, Hera," Cham apologized. "But I do this for all of Ryloth." The younger Twi'lek was then subdued and handcuffed by Goll, one of Cham's top officers, and one of the few Human members of the Free Ryloth unit.

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _QUASAR FIRE_ ***

"Hangar Two, conn," Soot said.

The Hangar Two traffic controler replied with a, "Hangar Two, aye."

Soot: "We've got a medical team en route, I repeat, medics will be there soon. What's going on?"

"No casualties amongst hangar crew, Skipper," said the traffic controler on the other end. "Repeat, no confirmed casualties so far, ma'am. My boys have the fire contained for now, looks like any damage my hangar sustains'll be negligible."

"Understood," replied the Twi'lek Imperial.

Mors frowned. "When I looked out the viewport," the older woman said, "it looked like there were three rebel fighters."

The sensor operator nodded. "Yes, Governor Mors," said the rating. "Ma'am, approximately three insurgent fighters were detected during the attack on the shuttle. They all fled before any of them were shot down."

"Something's up," the Moff said. "First off, why would these rebel terrorists attack a random shuttle? Second, why have three fighters? That means someone wouldn't have a wingman."

"You may be right, ma'am," Soot said as she linked her HUD glasses to _Quasar Fire's_ surveillance cameras, allowing her to view the scene in Hangar Two.

Suddenly, the ramp of the crashed shuttle extended. Four Navy troopers who had approached the _Sentinel_ -class landing craft were gunned down.

"Kriff!" cursed Soot before she sounded the alarm. "Captain Soot to all hands, battlestations! That shuttle was carrying rebel infiltrators, I say again, rebel terrorists have infiltrated Hangar Two!"

"What is the proper procedure for this?" Minister Sivron asked, fearful as all bureaucrats were of facing danger, even though he had come aboard with a squad of Stormtrooper guards.

Soot resisted the urge to roll her eyes, not wanting the useless stylus-neck to complain about her. "We repel the boarders, Minister," she said in a strained tone. "Comm, I want everyone you can reach to know that we've been boarded. Tell Grand Moff Tarkin if you can, just make sure as many Imperials as possible know what's going on and get an acknowledgement."

"Right away, ma'am," said the comms officer.

 ***CUT TO: STOLEN _SENTINEL_ -CLASS LANDING CRAFT***

"Come on, Chopper!" Hera yelled as she kicked the astromech.

Chopper grumbled as he got back online but soon cut her free, while the rest of Spectre Team regained consciousness. A wounded Twi'lek rebel sat in the shuttle, unable to fight thanks to being shot with a slugthrower but stable enough to be left on his own after being treated (Cham hadn't wanted to hinder his troops and correctly guessed the Spectres wouldn't execute a wounded man).

"I sincerely apologize for the deception, friends," the insurgent said. "But General Syndulla feels that this is the best course of action."

"Well it isn't," Lucas shot back. "Your short-sighted CO is going to cost us a valuable asset."

"Enough!" Kanan said. "Lucas, Sabine, Zeb, secure the hangar's munitions. For all we know the Imps have a nuke onboard and Cham's troops will see it and try to detonate it. Hera, Ezra, Diana, with me. We need to secure the bridge."

Lucas nodded and left the shuttle with Sabine and Zeb. They encountered a squad of eight Free Ryloth insurgents, who spotted them and began sending red particle bolts their way.

"These guys are playing for keeps!" Sabine shouted as she took cover.

"Then we have no reason to hold back," replied Lucas as he aimed his assault rifle and fired a three-round burst, killing one of the Twi'leks.

A fireteam of Navy troopers stormed the hangar. Two held blast shields and pistols, using the latter for their reduced recoil compared to a carbine or rifle, while the other two moved behind their comrades and carried E-11s.

"ImpSwabs!" Zeb shouted, firing his rifle but only hitting one of the blast shields. "You got an idea, Lieutenant Kellan?"

"Two, actually," replied the young officer. "Wren, you got a flashbang?"

"Yeah, I do," Sabine answered. "What's the plan, LT?"

"Take care of the Imps, I got the insurgents," he ordered.

Sabine complied and threw a flashbang at the Navy troopers, stunning them. Seconds after she had thrown the grenade, Lucas threw an EMP grenade at the Rylothian rebels, disabling their blasters.

"Cover me!" yelled Lucas before he rushed at the Twi'leks. "Hands where I can see 'em, now!"

"Or what, Human?" a female Twi'lek threatened as she drew a knife. "What are you gonna do, shoot-."

The former ISB Agent put a round in the Twi'lek's head. "Yes, I am capable of shooting people in self-defense," he said in a calm voice.

The other insurgents kept their hands empty and visible. Lucas had already demonstrated he would not tolerate being threatened, allowing the trio of Alliance rebels to deal with the Imp fireteam.

Meanwhile Hera, Kanan, Ezra, Chopper, and Diana fought their way to the bridge. Most of the noncombatant officers and technicians as well as the droids fled or cowered, but a few stood up to the rebel insurgents alongside the Navy troopers. However, few if any of their opponents had been extensively trained or were combat veterans, so the four rebels were able to fight their way to the bridge, which was sealed off by a blast door and a force field.

"Chopper, shut the shield down and get the door open!" Ezra ordered.

The astromech complied without complaint and was able to shutdown the force field. However, he was not able to open the door.

"How is that possible, Chop?" Kanan questioned. "You were able to cut off power to the force field."

"Manual lock on the other side of the door," said Diana. "If something isn't electronic, hacking doesn't do shit."

"Good thing you and Ezra have lightsabers, love," Hera said to Kanan.

"Yup," Kanan said before both he and his Padawan stabbed their blue plasma blades into the blast door. After cutting a circle into the blast door, Kanan used the Force to push it in.

Captain Soot, her two Navy trooper guards, and the Stormtrooper squad opened fire with their blasters, filling the air with red particle bolts. Knowing that throwing an EMP grenade would risk damaging the bridge electronics, Hera threw a flashbang into the bridge, stunning everyone inside. She and the others then rushed in, using stun rounds and the Force (as well as some punches from Kanan) to subdue the Imperial combatants.

"Hands up, everyone!" Hera shouted.

Minister Sivron, of all people, tried to stand up to the rebels. Perhaps the bureaucrat's ego had overridden his fear, but nevertheless Sivron was annoying. "You will not talk to me like that, girl!" the Minister barked at Hera, even though she was in her mid-twenties. "Do any of you ruffians know who I am?!"

Hera rolled her eyes. "Some traitor to Ryloth like this woman wearring an Imperial uniform?" she replied.

Captain Soot, though she kept her hands in the air after recovering, frowned at Hera. "I was born on Imperial Center, previously known as Coruscant," said the Imperial naval officer. "I've never even set foot on Ryloth, and the fact I am a Twi'lek does not mean I owe loyalty to some-."

"-quiet!" Kanan cut in. "You are a prisoner of war now, Captain. I suggest you be grateful that we rebels treat our prisoners properly, unlike you Imperials. Ezra, time to try your hand at influencing people."

"Right!" Ezra said enthusiastically before turning to Soot. "You are going to abandon ship."

Soot snarled and said, "I will _not_ abandon my ship, you _juvenile delinquent._ "

Ezra concentrated harder the second time. "We _are_ going to abandon ship," he told the Twi'lek Imperial.

"I am not abandoning my ship, terrorist scum!" snapped Soot.

"Says the person whose bosses use fear of violence to control people," Ezra grumbled before turning to his master. "You might wanna take over, Kanan."

Kanan: "You will give the order to abandon ship."

Soot shook her head as though to clear it. "I will not order my crew to abandon ship," she said, sounding less convinced than before.

"Kanan, I got an idea," suggested Ezra. "We both do it at once."

"Nice thinking, Ezra," Kanan complimented his Lothalian Padawan.

Both Jedi turned and said to Soot, "We _must_ abandon ship."

The Twi'lek Imperial nodded. "We are going to abandon ship," she said before tapping at _Quasar Fire's_ address system. "All hands, this is Captain Soot. The ship is lost, we have to evacuate. I say again, abandon ship. Get to the escape pods, now! The terrorists have left us no choice but to abandon ship. It's been an honor serving with all of you, long live the New Order. Soot out." Soot had actually managed to resist the influence of both of the Jedi, but even for a strong-willed woman like her it had proven somewhat difficult and she wanted as many of her subordinates as possible to be clear in the event that the Navy decided to destroy _Quasar Fire_ rather than risk letting the rebels have her. She then tapped the evacuation alarm, commanding _Quasar Fire's_ automated systems to help guide the crew to escape pods.

"We should get going, shouldn't we?" asked an older Human woman who Kanan recognized as Moff Delian Mors, Governor of the Ryloth sector.

"Oh, no you aren't going anywhere," Hera told Mors. "You and every other Imperial have been participating in the oppression of Ryloth, Mors. Enjoy your POW camp. Chopper, set a course out of here and get the hyperdrive ready."

The astromech plugged into the ship, but then reported he was unable to activate the hyperdrive. "What do you mean you can't activate the hyperdrive?" inquired Hera.

Cham came into view along with Gobi, Numa, and a half-dozen other Free Ryloth insurgents. "If you're trying to take this ship, Hera," said Cham, "too late. Goll and his team have already cut the cable linking the bridge to the hyperdrive, so there is no way you are getting this monstrosity into hyperspace. We must now destroy this ship for Ryloth."

Kanan resisted the urge to groan in frustration at his father-in-law's lack of strategic insight. "Cham, we don't have time for this," he said. "Imperial reinforcements are going to be here any minute, so the only way any of us are getting out of here alive is if we work-."

"-save you breath, Jarrus," interrupted Cham. The veteran Twi'lek insurgent then looked at Soot and Sivron in disgust. "So, _Minister,_ " he said, pronouncing the title as if it was an insult, "I see you are not the only Twi'lek who has gotten in bed with the Empire in exchange for power. Moff Mors here at least has the excuse of being an offworlder, you two are even worse than her."

Mors kept her mouth shut for whatever reason (probably self-preservation), but Soot fumed with rage. "Sod off!" the Rutian Twi'lek snapped. "I was born on Coruscant, far away from Ryloth, and have not once set foot on it! You, Cham Syndulla, are not a hero! You're just a rabble-rousing traitor who complains of Ryloth having to contribute to the Empire! Every planet, every moon, and every space station in the galaxy must work towards the general security and prosperity of the Empire and not just seek to gain all of the benefits of galactic civilization with none of the effort or sacrifices. I am Captain Amersu Soot of the Imperial Navy, and I would gladly die in the service of something greater than myself."

Cham shook his head. "You're delusional, child," he said. "Hera, get to an escape pod. You'll need to be clear of the ship before I can destroy it and ensure all of Ryloth sees this instrument of evil die."

Hera: "Father, you can't throw a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity away for a PR stunt!" The younger Twi'lek then gestured towards Ryloth. "When Wat Tambor invaded Ryloth with his droid army, you didn't just get one village or city to fight. You rallied the entire planet and even cooperated with General Windu and his forces. The rebellion is just that on a bigger scale; Ryloth may be able to fight off the Imperials on our homeworld, but what can we do against the entire Empire? The people of the galaxy who want freedom from Palpatine and Vader and their minions and lackeys will have to join together and rise up as one or die from trying and failing to win back liberty alone. Ships like these will be crucial in the future-I don't want the Rebellion to end when it's only just begun."

Cham shook his head. "I have no choice, Hera," he said. "Allying with the Republic only led to the Empire occupying Ryloth." He then tapped at his wrist comlink. "Syndulla to Hangar Two, what's going on? Over."

There was no response. Cham repeated his call twice, getting an answer on the third attempt. "I'm sorry, General," said a Twi'lek, the same one who had been wounded and left with Spectre Team in the crashed shuttle. "The offworlder rebels have control of Hangar Two now. They overwhelmed the squad you left behind, sir. Some are even dead."

Cham's eyes widened in shock. "The rebels killed the hangar guards?" he said in disbelief.

"Not all of them, but yes, some were killed, General Syndulla," the other Twi'lek confirmed. "Though once the others surrendered, they were left alive." A few other voices with thick Rylothian accents verified his claim, most sounding ashamed of letting their leader down.

"It seems as though you have a decision to make, General Syndulla," said Moff Mors. "You have three options. One, you can blow up this ship like you originally planned. It will be a sight for everyone on Ryloth, but an uprising will be brutally put down. I'm a soft Governor compared to others, and for all we know Darth Vader himself will show up and make Tarkin look like a stuffed bantha by comparison. Second, you try and run away with _Quasar Fire_. You can have a brand new carrier-well, a used one, but still in good condition. Just good luck not getting blown out of the black by a Star Destroyer. Three, you surrender. Stand down now, General, and I can get you all a trial."

Cham frowned at the Moff. "Governor Mors," he said, "I may be focused on Ryloth even at the expense of other worlds, and at the moment I feel no shame for prioritizing my homeworld. But one thing I will never do is take an offer from the Empire. I love my people and family far too much to take the coward's way out. I don't expect an Imperial like you or Sivron or Soot to understand love."

Just as Cham finished talking, an Imperial Star Destroyer exited hyperspace.

Mors sighed. "You're incorrect, General," the Imperial Governor said. "I am a widow; I married the woman of my dreams, but she died not two years into the Emperor's reign." She shook her head. "Captain Soot, if that ISD uses us for target practice, then I'd like you to know that I may not have served with you for long but Count Vader said many good things about you and I now know they are all true. You're an Imperial patriot like no other."

Soot nodded. "Thank you, Governor," she replied. "The honor is mine."

Cham tapped at the ship's address system. "Men and women of Free Ryloth, listen up," he said. "Change of plans; we are joining forces with the Alliance rebels and taking this ship. I say again, we will take this ship to fight for Ryloth and every other world the Empire is crushing under its boot heel. We know what Palpatine's followers do to worlds in order to satisfy their obsession with order and control-if we can spare even one remote colony from their tyranny, then it will be a victory. Ryloth and the rest of the galaxy can be free, but only if we fight the Empire everywhere, not just on our homeworld! Who's with me?!"

The Free Ryloth fighters roared in solidarity. Hera took over as announcer. "Man the guns!" she ordered. "The Imps will send out bombers soon! Goll, we need to be ready to jump, so get the hyperdrive online if it isn't already and have someone standing by to engage it on my command." To Chopper: "Chop, if you haven't already laid in a course to get us out of here, do it!"

 ***CUT TO: COUNT VADER'S TIE INTERCEPTOR***

Chad and Raana led the TIE fighters of _Steel Talon_ towards _Quasar Fire_ from the front, not from the safety of the Star Destroyer.

"Keep your eyes open, everyone," Chad warned. "Raana, you're boarding the carrier with me. The rest of you are to keep the rebel scum distracted until we're onboard, over."

"Count Vader," said one of the squadron leaders, "shouldn't you let General Klev and the One-Oh-Fifth take care of boarding?"

Chad shook his head. "No, I don't think CompFarce could guard a brothel full of Zeltrons, Commander!" he snarled, irritated that members of the regular military could trust CompForce. "Nor do anything productive inside of it! Now focus on dodging particle beams!"

The rebels opened fire, green bolts racing towards the Imperials. A few TIEs were hit, all but one bombers, but the rest took evasive action. The survivors began to return fire, the TIE bombers getting in close to drop ion bombs on _Quasar Fire_.

Both Chad and Raana headed towards one of the hangars and made it past the force field before landing their fighters.

As if one cue, a group of insurgents entered the hangar before the Imperial Dark Jedi could leave. Most looked to be Free Ryloth terrorists, but there was a Lasat, a Mandalorian, and a Human dressed in modern combat gear.

 _I recognize the three non-Twi'leks, they're part of a_ particular _Alliance cell from Lothal,_ thought Chad. _Perfect bargaining chips._

"Leave the non-Twi'leks alive, Raana!" Chad said as he deflected blaster bolts with his lightsaber. "We need them alive!"

"Fine, I'll let those wankers live!" Raana said as she bisected an unfortunate Twi'lek insurgent.

The Human rebel fired at Chad with his slugthrower, sending bullets towards the Imperial Count. Knowing lightsaber blades were less effective at intercepting ballistic rounds, Chad raised his right hand and blocked the slugthrower rounds with the Force. The rebel ran out of ammo and went for a sidearm, only to be sent flying into a stack of crates.

Soon only the Lasat and the Mandalorian were left standing. Both of the insurgents opened fire, but Raana and Chad blocked their shots before knocking them both unconscious.

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _QUASAR FIRE_ ***

"Ezra, you feel that?" Kanan asked his apprentice.

Ezra shuddered. "Yeah, I feel it. It's not as bad as that Sith Lord, but it's still bad. Also, I felt fear from Sabine but now... _nothing_. And I think I recognize at least one of the presences."

Kanan nodded. "I think so too, Ezra."

The holotank beeped. Chopper answered the call, and it displayed a man in an Imperial officer's uniform. "Greetings, Jedi," he said. "I am Count Vader, Lieutenant Governor of the Outer Rim, and I have someone in captivity I believe you're familiar with."

A female Togruta then came into view, holding an unconscious Sabine as a hostage.

Anger flared in Ezra. "You let her go!" yelled the young Padawan.

"Calm down, Jabba the Hutt," said Chad in reference to an alias of Ezra's. "All you need to do to protect your Mandalorian girlfriend from unnecessary harm is to surrender yourself and your fellow insurgents. Additionally, I believe you have taken Imperials prisoner aboard this fine vessel. Release them as well."

Cham, who had stayed on the bridge to give the order to engage the hyperdrive when he needed to, frowned and shook his head. "I don't believe you can force a surrender, Count," he told Chad.

The younger man frowned. "And why do you believe that, Syndulla?" Chad said.

Cham tapped his comlink. "Goll, are the explosives still attached to the hyperdrive?" he asked.

"Yeah, Cham," said Goll. "Sorry, we haven't had time to remove them yet."

"Explosives attached to the hyperdrive?" said Chad in alarm.

"Yes," Cham said. "So new offer, Count Vader. We give up all of our prisoners in exchange for you releasing the Mandalorian girl and leaving the ship in escape pods. Given how more than a few Navy troopers have been killed, you should have plenty of lifeboats to flee on."

Raana spoke up. "How do we know you sods aren't bluffing?" she inquired.

Cham smiled at the Togruta Inquisitor and raised Goll again. "Arm the explosives, Goll," he ordered.

"But, Cham," Goll protested, "I thought you wanted us to steal the ship now!"

"I still do," the Twi'lek leader of Free Ryloth clarified. "But the Imperials might try and screw us over. If someone tries to storm the hyperdrive chamber, you blow up the hyperdrive. If the Empire retakes the ship, you blow up the hyperdrive. If they try and depressurize the hyperdrive chamber, you blow up the ship. Frankly, Goll, a hypermatter-induced explosion would be preferable to dying from lack of oxygen or being tortured to death in Imperial custody."

Reluctantly, the two Imperials complied and met with the rebels by some of the remaining escape pods. There, Sabine was exchanged for the Imperial POWs, including Soot and Mors, and the Imperials left the ship via the escape pods. Cham then gave the order to Goll, and _Quasar Fire_ escaped into hyperspace.

"You guys shouldn't have given up a bunch of high-ranking Imps for me," Sabine said. "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the gesture and everything, but why me? I'm just one Mandalorian demolitions specialist with an artistic streak."

Hera clasped Sabine on the shoulder. "You're one of our own, Sabine," the older woman said. "The moment an army doesn't look out for its own, it falls apart. You would've made the exact same exchange if Kanan and I were in your position."

Diana, though still irritated at Cham for deceiving her and the rest of Spectre Team, tapped Numa on the shoulder. "Hey," she said in a neutral tone, "I noticed you have two words in Aurebesh on your armor: _Waxer_ and _Boil_. What's that about?"

Numa smiled. "A pair of clone soldiers from before the Empire," said the Twi'lek rebel. "They helped save me and my village."

 ***CUT TO: HIMS _STEEL TALON_ ***

"My lord, my lady," Amersu asked Chad and Raana, "why did you bother to try and rescue us? Surely it would have been smarter to simply destroy _Quasar Fire_."

Chad shook his head. "Would it have been easier? Yes. Would it have produced better results? No. Amersu, the Empire can afford to make another light carrier. You, on the other hand, are one of a kind. Experienced and capable officers are more valuable than equipment and cannot be manufactured on demand in a shipyard. Let the rebels have _Quasar Fire_ , we still have you."

"Besides," Raana added, "you are an Imperial, Amersu, just like us. Tarkin will complain about it, but if the Empire was run by short-sighted imbeciles seeking to avoid angering their superiors, the galaxy would have descended into total anarchy by now."

Amersu surprised herself and smiled in the presence of her superiors. "Thank you, Count Vader and Baroness Tano. I am indebted to both of you for this."

 **ME: Should the next chapter feature Spectre Team meeting Clan Skirata? Or perhaps they should encounter rebel terrorists (as in legitimately evil rebels like violent Humanocentrists, the Diversity Alliance, the Justice Action Network, etc) instead? As for Kad/Venku-should he have any siblings? Also, my good friend Ahsokafanboy1138 theorized that Etain and Bardan would be kinda like Kanan when it comes to skills (granted, both weren't exactly confident in the KT novels about their skills, so it would be consistent). I.e. "I think (Etain and Bardan) would have trouble even with Inky. Chad and Serra are on a whole different level."**

 **Feel free to imagine Kanan's punches as being as powerful as Batman's from the Arkham games since he has cybernetic arms and the Force.**

 **I had the Navy troopers replace the Stormtroopers because the carrier probably wasn't meant for boarding or ground actions.**

 **In addition to the canonical red, white, and black flag of the Empire, I am considering flags for the Emperor, Imperial Senate, and Imperial Supreme Court (or whatever would be the equivalent). The Emperor's flag would have a red and black color scheme like the First Order flags, with the FO emblem replaced by an Imperial cog. The Imperial Senate flag would replace the red with blue. The judicial branch flag would be white and black.**

 **I used a shuttle because, judging by there only being one seat in the stolen bomber, TIE bombers are still single-seat craft. The Imps should've known something was up the moment Kanan said "we." Or when a bomber with an unfamiliar transponder code showed up out of nowhere (especially since those things probably don't have hyperdrives most of the time).**

 **I was gonna blow up _Steel Talon_ , but that light cruiser in canon was only blown up since the Captain was too stupid to not blow up the bomber (something that by design can be loaded with explosive ordnance, for crying out loud) or even simply maneuver to avoid it. ****I was gonna have someone fly out in the damaged shuttle, get captured, and set off a nuke to blow up _Steel Talon,_ but it probably would have come off as stupid.**

 **Chad and Raana probably could have easily killed Kanan and Ezra before dealing with everyone else, but they were smart enough to not risk a hyperdrive explosion.**


	39. False Justice

**ME: Time for Spectre Team to visit a Mandalorian world, which will hopefully get them closer to meeting Clan Skirata. Warning: Nightmare fuel ahead. This will serve as your one and only warning.**

Serving the Empire means to put the needs of your fellow Imperial citizens before your own needs or even those of your world. The Empire and all under its banner will survive only if we all work together for a better future.

 **(Captain Denimoor of HIMS _Tenacious_ , addressing citizens of Arkinnea)**

While both Kanan and Hera had tried to keep word of Cham and Free Ryloth's betrayal from reaching Ahsoka for obvious reasons, Diana and Lucas were both very much irritated by the stunt the Rylothian insurgents had pulled and had informed the Togruta General of Cham's actions.

To say Ahsoka didn't like Cham's rather shortsighted decision was an understatement.

Though the Jedi Knight could not afford to alienate Free Ryloth, realpolitik did not save Cham from being chewed out by Ahsoka. As a consequence, Ahsoka had made it clear that the Free Ryloth movement would formally join the Alliance and Cham would now be taking orders from her. Feeling guilty over having inadvertently gotten some of his followers killed thanks to the Alliance rebels and Free Ryloth fighters not working together, Cham had complied.

"Kanan, Hera," Ahsoka said after the two entered her personal quarters, "I have a new mission for Spectre Team."

"What is it, Ahsoka?" asked Hera.

"If the Alliance is to stand any chance against the Empire, we need more genuine allies," the Togruta Jedi Knight said. "Not just blackmailed groups like the Journeyman Protectors. Hera, you and Kanan are going into Mandalorian space. How does a trip to Vekta sound to you?"

"Wonderful," the Twi'lek officer replied. Vekta was not the capital of the Mandalore sector, but it was undeniably the grandest Mandalorian world. Only Kalevala, renamed "New Mandalore" or simply "Mandalore" by the pacifist New Mandalorians, could have hoped to come close to Vekta's prosperity and technological advancement. That was in the past; Kalevala suffered greatly during the Clone Wars, and the local population left following the collapse of Duchess Satine Kryze's government. Sundari and all other cities on Kalevala were converted into prisons by the Empire, the desert terrain of the abandoned world serving as a deterrent against escape.

Unfortunately, while Vekta remained the undisputed economic giant of the Mandalore sector, it was now under the Empire's banner. The Vektans may have been prosperous slaves of the Emperor and his obsession with order and control, but they were slaves nonetheless.

All of the Spectres save for Ahsoka, Buy'ce, and Beviin were soon onboard _Ghost_ , which detached from _Liberator_ and jumped into hyperspace.

 ***CUT TO: COCKPIT OF ARRS _GHOST_ ***

"Stay sharp, everyone," Hera said as _Ghost_ decelerated from hyperspace. "This could get ugly."

"How ugly?" questioned Ezra.

Lucas: "As in we get boarded and have to fight off VSA troops kinda ugly."

Sabine nodded. "So very ugly, then."

"Yup."

The Vektan Security Agency was responsible for enforcing law and order on Vekta as well as protecting it from external threats. Though obviously less powerful than the Imperial Military, the VSA was no joke and would be a threat to the rebels and any Vektan allies they managed to cultivate.

A _Venator_ -class Star Destroyer stood between Spectre Team and Vekta. "Attention incoming transport," said a Vektan accent. "This is VSA _Tenacious_ , you have entered Vektan space. Please proceed to transmit your clearance codes and stand by for scanning. Be advised: If you attempt to enter Vekta's atmosphere without clearance, we are authorized to use lethal force. Over."

Hera exhaled before saying, "Understood, _Tenacious_. Transmitting clearance codes now, over."

A few minutes ticked by but felt like hours, for the crew of _Ghost_ were anxious about what would happen.

Fortunately, the crew of _Tenacious_ evidently had been successfully deceived and believed _Ghost_ to simply be a civilian vessel. "Transport, this is _Tenacious_ ," said the VSA sailor. "Do you copy, over?"

"I copy, _Tenacious_ ," replied Hera. "Go ahead, over."

"Transport, you are cleared for entry," said the _Tenacious_ crew member. "Enjoy your time on Vekta. _Tenacious_ out."

Hera flew _Ghost_ towards Vekta City. It was a beautiful and bustling metropolis with spaceports, a maglev train network, highways, and high-rise buildings.

"Home sweet home," Lucas said. "Too bad Death Watch and the Empire showed up to ruin it."

Ezra looked at the capital city of Vekta as _Ghost_ continued to approach the metropolis. "Vekta seems pretty well-off compared to Lothal," he said.

" _Everywhere's_ better off compared to Lothal, Ez," Sabine responded. "But damn, Lieutenant Kellan, your homeworld looks pretty nice."

"Let's hope the Imps and their lackeys haven't karked it up yet," Lucas said. "But on behalf of all Vektans, thank you for the compliment, Wren."

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _STEEL TALON_ ***

"So," Chad asked, "an uprising has begun on Ryloth?"

"Affirmative, Count Vader," General Klev answered. "It appears the local rabble have been inspired by the theft of HIMS _Quasar Fire_ and seek to emulate the rebel terrorists who now have a light carrier for their personal use. It was a shame we couldn't simply fire on that ship and destroy it, sir."

The Lieutenant Governor of the Outer Rim glared at the CompForce officer. "No, Klev," he shot back, not even bothering to use his subordinate's rank. "You do realize we'd lose the Moff of this sector and an experienced naval commander if we had it your way, right?"

Klev bristled. "We are _all_ expendable if the preservation of the Emperor's great design for the galaxy demands it, Count Vader," he said.

Raana just shook her head. "Enough chit-chat, Klev. Just tell us where the Huntmaster missiles were launched from."

Klev tapped at the holotank. "Baroness Tano, we traced the trajectories of the Huntmaster missiles that were fired at Lessu," he said. "They came from a remote village. I can send a company of troops there if you want, my lady."

"Do so," the Togruta Inquisitor ordered. "And have the rest of the division readied for immediate deployment. Time to show those sods planetside who's in charge of the galaxy."

 ***CUT TO: _SENTINEL_ -CLASS LANDING CRAFT APPROACHING RYLOTH VILLAGE***

Private Paige Lynch fiddled with her rifle. It was her first mission, and Captain Joseph Jackson and his XO, First Lieutenant Tara Flanagan, were not known as easy-to-please officers.

"Five minutes," the pilot announced from the cockpit.

The CompForce troopers promptly stood up from their seats and began to prepare for battle. Some loaded and powered up their weapons, while others checked their equipment. Paige stood shaking in her white combat boots, simultaneously eager and fearful of the fact she would soon participate in combat.

 _I'm bringing law and order to a broken world,_ the young soldier told herself. _I'm helping the people of Ryloth._

"One minute!" said the landing craft pilot.

Lieutenant Flanagan: "T-minus sixty seconds!"

Eventually the four _Sentinel_ -class shuttles landed. The ramp came down, and Paige charged out with her comrades, weapons at the ready.

"Move! Move! Move!" Captain Jackson ordered. "I want a secure perimeter around the village and every single Rylothian detained, now!"

The CompForce company followed its orders quickly and efficiently. Not only were the Twi'lek inhabitants of the settlement rounded up, but a few Human civilians who were passing through the village in speeders were stopped and forcefully taken into custody as well.

"Into the square, now!" Paige's squad leader, a burly and experienced Sergeant, barked at the civilians.

"Why are you doing this?" asked a terrified Twi'lek villager. The civilian spoke in Basic, but his thick accent made it somewhat hard to understand him. "We have done nothing!"

"Citizen, please remain calm," Paige told him, trying to console the villager. "This is just standard procedure-."

"-quiet, Private," snapped Paige's Sergeant before turning to the Twi'lek. "Citizen, Huntmaster missiles were fired from this village at Lessu. _None_ of you are innocent as far as I'm concerned."

Eventually all the Rylothians, Twi'lek and Human alike, stood in the village square. Captain Jackson got in front of the assembled civilians and cleared his throat.

"Attention, Citizens," Jackson began. "Huntmaster missiles were fired from this settlement at the capital city of your planet, Lessu. We have discovered missile launchers, undoubtedly left behind by the cowardly rebel terrorists once they fled to avoid facing Imperial justice, so do not claim ignorance."

An elderly male Twi'lek stepped forward. "The rebels you speak of, Imperial, claimed to be part of the Free Ryloth movement," he said carefully, befitting a person who probably had learned Basic as a second language. "They stopped in our village, fired their weapons, then raced away. These men and women fired stun rounds into the air, so we could not stop them even though they seemingly did not seek to kill any of us. I think your efforts would be more fruitful if you left us and instead tried to find these rebels."

The CompForce Captain ignored the Twi'lek elder and spoke with Control via his helmet comlink. After a few minutes, he then addressed the company.

"Alright, our new orders are to rejoin the division," Jackson began. "However, we cannot take the Rylothian scum here prisoner, so we must make examples of them instead. Prepare to fire!"

The civilians screamed as blasters were readied, while Paige couldn't believe her CO's words. "Now, fire!" ordered Jackson.

Red particle bolts slammed into the condemned Rylothians. A Human and a few villagers attempted to flee only to be gunned down, while an elderly Twi'lek couple held hands together in resignation before being killed. Paige herself trained her E-11 on a pleading woman's head, unable to defy an order but hoping to kill the female civilian as painlessly as possible. However, when she pulled the trigger her blaster did not fire.

 _What?!_ thought the COMPNOR soldier. _Impossible, I made sure to-._

A three-round burst hit the Twi'lek woman in the chest, sending her to the ground. "Private Lynch, what do you think you're doing?!" yelled her squad leader.

"Sergeant," Paige replied, "my rifle malfunctioned. When I squeezed the trigger, it did not fire."

Captain Jackson marched over. "What is the problem here, Sergeant?" he asked.

"Sir," Lynch's NCO replied, "Private Lynch did not fire upon the Rylothians. She claims her weapon malfunctioned."

"Understood, Sergeant," the officer said before turning to Lynch. "Private, Third Platoon and I will take you back to _Steel Talon_ aboard my shuttle. You'll be held in the brig while your rifle is inspected to see if it did malfunction. Lieutenant Flanagan, supervise clean up here."

 _Clean up._ Such a clinical word to describe the aftermath of such a horrible massacre.

 ***CUT TO: GRAND CENTRAL STATION, VEKTA CITY, VEKTA***

"So we're headed to Diortem?" Ezra said.

Lucas nodded, he, Ezra, and the rest of the Spectres all dressed in disguises to avoid detection. "Affirmative," he said. "It's a strategic city in the south, the Imps have a biological warfare research program going on there. Not exactly the kind of Imperial project that should be left alone."

"You can say that again, Lucas," said Kanan, shuddering as he did. Out of all weapons of mass destruction, he feared bioweapons the most.

Grand Central Station deserved its name. Vekta City's most important maglev terminal, it allowed passengers to transfer between metropolitan and intercity lines. Monitors and holoprojectors kept travelers aware of the arrival and departure of individual trains in addition to providing news updates, and there were more than a few shops if anyone wanted to buy something. Even with the Empire's red, white, and black banner being present, Grand Central Station was very much aesthetically pleasing.

A few VSA grunts on patrol walked past Spectre Team, receiving a few friendly nods from some nearby Vektan civilians and returning them. The VSA variant of Mandalorian armor was much more sleek and streamlined compared to conventional _beskar'gam_ , and instead of the traditional T-visor the VSA helmet had a visor similar to the ISB helmet's which exposed the wearer's face when depolarized.

"Vektans are accused of being soft back on _Manda'yaim_ ," Sabine commented, "and you guys kinda are soft by comparison to the rest of us. But damn, Lieutenant Kellan, no one can accuse Vekta of being a planet's worth of lazy _chakaare_."

A intercity train came to a stop at one of the platforms. Lucas remembered learning as a child how maglev technology was developed even before modern civilization became capable of interstellar travel-.

 _BOOM!_

One of the train cars exploded, sending the Spectres to the ground. Screams pierced the air while alarms began to blare. Survivors either stumbled clear or lay on the ground, unable to flee due to their injuries.

Sabine shook her head and blinked as she regained consciousness. A VSA operative crouched to look her in the eye.

"Hey, are you alright, miss?" he asked Sabine.

"Yeah, I'm fine," the young Mandalorian answered as she struggled to her feet. "Thanks."

"Got it, get clear as soon as you can do so safely. We need anyone unhurt out of the way," the Vektan told her before joining his comrades and a few Federal Guardsmen at the train platform to help the injured and wounded civilians there.

Suddenly a burst of energy emerged from within another maglev train car, engulfing Imperials and civilians alike. Anyone unfortunate enough to be within range of the burst screamed in agony as their bodies were disintegrated and reduced to piles of ash.

Zeb stared at the remains of the victims, reminded of the Fall of Lasan. It took all his willpower to not vomit at the horrific sight, while Ezra was now dry-heaving (having emptied the contents of his stomach already).

"Did...we just watch a bunch of people get disintegrated?" Hera said, her voice low.

"Really wish we hadn't," Kanan stated.

Diana: "What the hell caused them to disintegrate?" The Concordian woman kept her voice level, but Diana's face betrayed her horror at what had happened.

Lucas scowled. "An ion disruptor device," he told the pilot of _Phantom_. "Like a T-Seven disruptor rifle, but more like a bomb or a grenade than a firearm."

"What sick freaks besides the Imps would use these?!" Zeb snarled in anger.

Suddenly over the station PA the Alliance rebels heard screams and the announcer who previously had been attempting to direct the evacuation of Grand Central Station plead for mercy before being shot by a slugthrower.

"Attention, Loyalist scum!" said one of the gunmen. "You are now prisoners of the Justice Action Network! Any counterrevolutionaries who dare acts against us will be killed without mercy or pity!"

A few men and women wearing hoods and masks came into view, slugthrower SMGs at the ready. Clearly they intended to take as many surviving civilians as possible hostage and kill anyone who defied them.

Lucas and the others, however, did not plan on becoming captives or kills of what appeared to be an anti-Imperial terrorist organization. _It's almost funny,_ the former ISB agent thought. _The Imp propagandists accuse the Alliance of being a terrorist group all the time, yet we get to deal with actual rebel terrorists. Oh,_ kark you and your mother _, irony._

Spectre Team opened fire on the JAN terrorists with weapons they had managed to conceal. Not expecting organized resistance, the surprised terrorist fighters attempted to fight back but were all killed.

A monitor that was still functioning in spite of the attack flickered and displayed a black hand with the red letters _J,_ _A_ , and _N_ inscribed on it before cutting to a man in his thirties with a shaven head. "People of Vekta!" he said. "This is the beginning of your penance for your profiteering off the oppression of the galaxy! If you need someone to blame for what is occurring as I speak, look no further than yourselves! None of you are innocents, for Vekta has sided with the Empire and chosen to benefit while other worlds suffer! We are the black hand of justice, forged in the fires of Imperial tyranny! I am Minister of Information Vladko Tyran, and I deliver this message on behalf of the Justice Action Network!"

"Kanan, any plans on dealing with this douchebag?" questioned Sabine.

Kanan cleared his throat. "First, we take out his buddies here before they harm anyone else," the Jedi Knight said. "Then we might have time to track this guy down and kick his ass."

Lucas smiled grimly. "I like your style, Colonel," he complimented Kanan.

 **ME: This chapter is dedicated to the victims of the Oradour-sur-Glane and Lidice massacres, which occured during World War Two.**

 **As you guys can testify, I wasn't kidding about the Nightmare Fuel.**

 **I don't exactly know how at the moment how to adapt the Mandalorian arcs from TCW, especially since Maul coming back wasn't my favorite thing about the series (though he was a terrifying Knight of Cerebus, and if I had to choose between getting rid of Maul or the New Mandalorians I'd pick the Fake Mandalorians without hesitation-seriously, Satine and her followers have the survival instincts of Laurel from Arrow). So I just mentioned Kalevala being devastated and turning into a planetary version of Arkham City.**

 **I know that Tyran led his own terrorist organization, but without the Terracide he wouldn't be able to recruit that many assholes for the Black Hand. Plus he was Stahl's Dragon and rabble-rouser in the game, so Tyran effectively being a propaganda-spewing mouthpiece for other terrorists can't be that bad.**

 **Private Lynch is named after Jessica Lynch and Paige Paz. I trust you all know who the former is, but the latter is a fanartist who attempted suicide thanks to social justice warriors bullying her. To those that did bully her and even gloated about it following her suicide attempt or defended your despicable behavior-FUCK! YOU! ASSHOLES! Words fail to describe how disgusting these SJWs are. I actually partly named Lieutenant Flanagan after "matiarchalmuffin," one of Paige's bullies/haters on Tumblr. Tara, you are a horrible excuse of a human being. Be grateful that my right to swing my fist ends at your nose. Joseph Jackson was named after Goebbels and Jesse Jackson, the latter of whom claims AR-15s can "blow up railroads."**

 **If you guys wanna know what VSA armor looks like compared to regular Mando gear, think of it as being the FO Stormtrooper armor to the Imperial Stormtrooper armor style-wise. I didn't mention the color scheme because I wasn't sure what it should be.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this update.**


	40. Young Savior

**ME: Now time to get back to rebel insurgents vs. rebel terrorists!**

It won't be enough to wipe out those who defend the Empire-we must also punish those who passively support it.

 **(Doctor Arkeld, JAN cell leader and university professor)**

The progress of Spectre Team did not go unnoticed by the terrorists who had seized control of Grand Central Station, for soon a message was sent via the PA system.

"I see that some have risen to the defense of the cowardly Vektans who have chosen to bow before Palpatine!" said the JAN announcer. "The hunt is on, my kin! Minister Tyran and the rest of our magnanimous leaders deserve to have the heads of these traitors brought before them! Everyone else, stay out of the way or die with these slaves to the Imperial system!"

"That bastard has no idea who he's up against," Hera snarled.

"Let's keep it that way," suggested Lucas.

"There they are!" a JAN terrorist shouted as a group of a dozen masked men and women charged into view, weapons at the ready. "I see 'em!"

"Open fire!" ordered another terrorist operative, most likely the leader. "Death to the Empire!"

Bullets and particle bolts flew through the air as the two groups of rebels engaged. Despite a slight numerical advantage and being more ruthless, the JAN operatives were mostly inexperienced in comparison to the Spectres. One of the terrorists tried to throw a grenade, but Kanan sensed it via the Force and shot him twice in the chest. The grenade went off, killing seven of the eight remaining terrorists and wounding the eighth.

"You cannot stop us," the JAN member spat as she lay on the ground. "W-we are warriors for social j-just-."

Zeb cut the terrorist off by stomping on her neck, crushing her windpipe. "I always hated people who defined themselves as social justice warriors," he said as the terrorist died, the last sounds she made being gurgles of pain.

"A little on the ruthless side, Zeb," Kanan said, "but I can't exactly blame you."

The Lasat SNCO nodded. "These guys are willing to murder innocent civilians and we can't exactly take them prisoner," he pointed out.

"We need to get to the control room or whatever," cut in Ezra. "I don't think the guy who-."

"Attention, my fellow warriors for justice!" the JAN announcer yelled. "The traitors remain near the intercity platforms! Some of you must stay behind to secure the entrances and keep our captives in line, the rest are to kill the traitors to avenge our fallen brothers and sisters!"

"Yeah, we need to shut this asshole up," Kanan agreed.

The eight Alliance rebels fought their way through the ruthless JAN terrorists who sought to kill them. Some wore hoods along with respirators and glasses, while others were only marked by a cloth mask that obscured the lower half of their face. However, they primarily wielded outdated weapons and were not prepared for the ferocity of Spectre Team. Eventually, the group was able to make it to just outside the control center for Grand Central, where a few terrorists on guard duty awaited them. A fierce firefight erupted.

"Die, Imperial dog!" one of the JAN operatives yelled as he tried to bludgeon Diana with the butt of his rifle, caught on a reload.

Diana threw herself forward to tackle her opponent. The terrorist, tall and thin, was surprised and knocked over by the young Concordian woman. Driven both by a desire to survive and pissed off at what the self-styled freedom fighters had done to civilians, Diana threw a vibroblade and stabbed him in the neck.

"If there's a hell, I hope you burn in it forever, _scum_ ," she hissed as the bastard died painfully.

The terrorist announcer in the control center tried to defend himself with an SMG, but Kanan was able to disarm him with the Force. "Alright, fucker," Lucas growled. "Tell us what you know, and I may end up killing you relatively painlessly."

"Never!" the captured terrorist responded. "I will not betray my fellow revolutionaries!"

"Okay, then," said Lucas as he drew his slugthrower pistol. "Going hot!" called the former ISB Agent as he squeezed the trigger, firing a single round into a computer monitor. He then shoved the hot muzzle into the terrorist's neck, burning him.

"AHH!" screamed the terrorist.

Hera didn't necessarily like being rough with prisoners, but terrorists were among the lowest in the low in her book and they needed all the information they could get on the Justice Action Network. "Tell us what you have on your buddies, pal," she said, "and it'll stop."

"You are all traitors!" the JAN operative spat. "Either you are Imp-."

"-GOING HOT!" Lucas yelled as he fired his sidearm three times before shoving its muzzle into one of the terrorist's eyes.

"FUCK!" yelled the terrorist announcer in pain. Unable to tolerate any more pain but not wanting to betray his superiors and colleagues, the man swallowed a suicide pill hidden in his teeth. "Long live the Justice A-action N-network," the JAN terrorist said as he died.

Sabine looked at one of the civilian corpses lying on the floor and grimaced. The body was that of a young pregnant woman whose child would never be born thanks to the JAN savages who called themselves rebels.

"You and your baby deserved better, _ner vod_ ," Sabine said as she closed the eyes of the dead Vektan.

Lucas tapped into the station's surveillance network, locating the remaining terrorists and assessing the situation outside Grand Central. "Colonel Jarrus, Captain Syndulla," he said, attracting the attention of his superiors.

"Yes, Lucas?" replied Hera.

"Ma'am, hostiles have locked down all the entrances," stated Lucas. "They got the surviving civilians in a cafeteria under guard by six terrorists. We can neutralize those six first, Captain, or take out the bastards guarding the doors first so that we can be sure no one else can threaten the hostages once we neutralize their guards. However, shooting the guys keeping watch at the entrances could cause the hostiles on hostage detail to snap and open fire, and if nothing else the assholes at the entrances can tie up the Imps when they storm this place."

"Let's go rescue the hostages," Kanan said. "It won't be easy, but we stand the best chance of saving as many civilians as we can this way. Worst case scenario, we protect them from the entrance guards or die trying."

The Spectres reloaded their weapons before heading down to the cafeteria. Along the way, they discovered more victims of the Justice Action Network's brutality. The dead civilians were mainly adults, but the corpses of teenagers and young children were present as well.

"These wankers aren't soldiers," Zeb said, disgusted at the carnage. "They're barbarians who deserve a slow and painful death."

"Let's just focus on saving those who are still alive," Kanan said.

"Copy that," Diana responded. "If it makes you feel any better, Zeb, these murglaks'll end up in hell quicker if we focus on taking them out and keeping them from harming any more civilians."

 ***CUT TO: CAFETERIA, GRAND CENTRAL STATION, VEKTA CITY, VEKTA***

"Hurry up, cowards!" yelled one of the six terrorists guarding the Vektan civilians taken hostage as she forced a few of them to barricade the entrances with overturned tables at gunpoint. "Or I'll shoot a few of you, there are more than enough enemies of the revolution here for examples to be made."

Ezra, the smallest of Spectre Team, had volunteered to go through the ventilation system. However, it was not designed for enabling sentient traffic and thus it was difficult to move around in.

"Alright, Spectre Six here," he reported after keying his comlink. "I see 'em, Spectre One."

"Copy, Specte Six," said Kanan. "Gimme a sitrep, over."

"It's just like Spectre Ten said," Ezra said, quietly removing the grate so he could intervene if need be. "Six bad guys guarding the room. They've begun forcing the hostages to barricade the entrances with overturned tables, so it'll be difficult to get in."

"Heads up, everyone," Lucas cut in. "There's a gunship headed for the rooftop, looks like the Imps are planning on kicking in the door soon. If we're gonna do something, we need to do it soon."

"Hold fire, everyone," said Ezra. "I repeat, everyone needs to hold fire. I got this."

Ignoring his comlink, the young Padawan then got out a stun grenade and an EMP grenade he had scavenged off of a dead VSA grunt. Trusting in the Force, Ezra threw the stun grenade first, followed by the EMP one, guiding them so they landed as close to the terrorists as possible.

"Hey, what the-," one of the terrorists got out before the flashbang went off, disorienting the JAN operatives and their hostages. The EMP grenade detonated next, neutralizing any unprotected electronic caught in its burst.

The Imperials then fired tear gas grenades into the cafeteria before entering in force, evidently unaware of Ezra throwing in the grenades. The six terrorists, still recovering from the effects of the flashbang, were promptly gunned down.

 _Time to get out of here._

 ***CUT TO: STREETS OF LESSU, RYLOTH***

"Keep moving forward!" Chad ordered. "Don't let up! I want all these bastards dead by sundown!"

The 105th Division, aided by the Imperial Army and Ryloth Police, were now pushing back the Free Ryloth insurgents. Chad was leading the counterattack from the front, along with Serra and his children.

Malavai, the oldest, resembled Chad's brother but with black hair. His twin brother, Asher, was the tallest and bulkiest of Chad and Serra's children and had heterochromia iridum, with one of his eyes being green and the other one being blue. Shmi was the youngest, with long black hair she had tied back due to being in the field and green eyes. Her older and less feminine twin sister, Thana, in stark contrast cut her hair short and was taller and more muscular than Shmi, with blue eyes that reminded Chad of her mother.

"Show no mercy!" yelled Major General Klev. "Kill all those who dare defy His Imperial Majesty the Great Uniter!"

As the Imperial soldiers and police officers advanced, a mortar round landed near a group of CompForce troopers, setting them on fire. Chad winced even though he didn't care for his subordinates in the 105th Division that much, for it was a horrific sight to see the COMPNOR soldiers scream and flail about as they burned to death.

"Stang!" exclaimed Serra. "Syndulla's goons have gotten their hands on incendiaries!"

"Raana!" Chad said into his comlink. "Where are you with the air support?"

"Hang on, Chad," the Togruta Dark Side Adept replied. "ETA's about five minutes."

"Bullshit! Nothing takes five minutes!"

Though the older Dark Jedi was annoyed at the delay, Raana did appear with a _Sentinel_ -class landing craft as well as the Assault Gunboat and TIE bomber squadrons assigned to _Steel Talon_. Ordnance rained down upon the Free Ryloth terrorists, forcing the hostile combatants to fall back.

The shuttle landed near the front lines of the Imperials, and when the ramp lowered Raana descended with her two apprentices, the Marek twins, and Colonel Necrosis in tow.

"Chad," Raana said. "It's about the One-Oh-Fifth."

"What is it?" Chad asked. "Did they do that cheesy hail victory salute again?"

A few CompForce troopers in earshot did the double fist salute. "Hail victory!"

Raana shook her head before taking off her tactical glasses and looking him in the eye. "Worse. We'll need to deal with it ourselves, especially since Serra, Necrosis, and the kids aren't responsible for the CompFarce sods we command."

Chad nodded before turning to his wife. "You think you can manage the situation here while Raana and I deal with whatever she's talking about, Serra?" he asked her. "I don't want to leave you guys to-."

She topped him with a raised hand. "Come on, Chad," Serra told him. "I'm certain the kids and I can handle this situation now that Syndulla's minions have been dealt a blow, especially if the Mareks and a certain Colonel are allowed to help."

Chad sensed a smile from Raana beneath her respirator. "Run along, you three," she said to her charges. "Have fun-by which I mean kill anyone who's a Twi'lek and loyal to Cham Syndulla's self-proclaimed vision."

"It will be my pleasure, my lady," responded Necrosis.

 **ME: A/N: I'm sorry if this was short/crappy compared to my other updates, I felt obligated to post this ASAP.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to the victims of the horrific shooting in Orlando. These terrorist attacks, these criminal acts, cannot go unpunished. ISIS must be exterminated, not negotiated with.**

 **Imagine Thana as looking like a Human version (albeit with blue eyes) of Ltflak's Grey Sith Warrior, with Shmi being shorter and smaller like Vette.**

 **Considering how Spaarti clones can take up to a year to mature, hopefully I won't have to shoehorn in Kanan's evil clone anytime soon.**

 **Feedback, as always, is appreciated.**


	41. Chapter 41

**ME: Time to have the Imperials and rebels deal with the extremists on their side. Special thanks to OMAC001 for writing the 100th review of this story. Happy Fourth of July, everyone. Also, I literally couldn't come up with a chapter name this time, sorry about that.**

I knew we shouldn't have let the whims of politicians restrain us, my lord. The blood of Imperial citizens that has been spilled today is on the hands of Senators like Organa and Mothma, not the hands of His Imperial Majesty or your own. Thankfully, Lord Vader, the men and women of the Five Hundred and First are ready to take action against the criminals and terrorists who have the audacity to call themselves freedom fighters. My lord, your Fist is eager to end this war.

 **(Major General Appo, CO of the 501st Legion, speaking to Lord Darth Vader)**

"Move, move!" Kanan yelled as they headed towards the parking garage. "We need to get out of here!"

"Spectre Three, this is Spectre Two!" said Hera into her comlink. "Do you copy, over?"

 _"Hera, are you okay?!"_ Chopper replied, uncharacteristically concerned. _"I heard explosions, what happened?!"_

"Terrorists bombed the city, get ready for immediate takeoff!" ordered the Twi'lek rebel. "Repeat, prep for immediate takeoff! Got it?"

 _"Understood, I'm on it,"_ came the response.

"Contact, contact!" said a Death Watch trooper as a group of the black armored Mandalorians came up behind Spectre Team. "Open fire!"

"Trigger happy _di'kute_!" Sabine cursed as the Spectres fired a few shots back before throwing an EMP grenade at the Imperial loyalists then turning into a corridor and running for the garage.

"This is probably one of our worst missions yet," Ezra said as they entered the garage, intent on stealing civilian vehicles so they could make it to the spaceport.

"Of all time," Sabine agreed. "It wouldn't surprise me if the Imps try and spin this as us killing civilians."

Zeb shook his head. "Worry about public relations later, Sab," he told her. "Right now we need to get out of here."

 ***CUT TO: STREETS OF LESSU, RYLOTH***

Serra watched as Chad and Raana boarded the shuttle before it took off and headed back into orbit before turning to the three new arrivals.

"Colonel Necrosis, Sir and Dame Marek," she said. "Welcome to Lessu, I'm Countess Serra Vader."

Though all of the Inquisitors present were wearing respirators and tactical glasses for both anonymity and intimidation in addition to the protection and HUD provided, Serra knew from photos Raana had sent of her two students that Galen had brown hair and eyes while Bellona (AKA "Bell") was a blue-eyed blonde. Ironically Necrosis, a droid, was the only one with visible eyes.

"It is an honor to meet you, Countess Vader," the trio replied respectfully, bowing as they did.

"These are my children," Serra told them. "Sir Malavai Vader, my oldest child. Commander Asher Vader, his younger twin brother. Commander Thana Vader, my oldest daughter. Dame Shmi Vader, her younger sister and my youngest child."

The younger Inquisitors and the Military Intelligence Colonel politely greeted each other and shook hands. Serra took the time to contact Moff Mors.

"Yes, Countess Vader?" asked Mors.

"Governor, have your troops and the police hold the line and flush out any terrorists hiding in the areas of the city we've retaken. I'll take the One-Oh-Fifth and push the remaining insurgents out of Lessu."

"By your command, my lady."

Serra walked over to her children, the Marek twins, and Necrosis. "I'm certain you all want to get off this rock and take a nice long shower," she said.

Everyone, including Necrosis (who evidently disliked Ryloth as well even though it was impossible for him to sweat), nodded. "Ryloth may be an Imperial world, Mother," said Malavai, "but I would never come here for anything other than Imperial business."

"Mother, we're all drenched in sweat practically," Shmi added. It probably didn't help that her more feminine daughter had opted to keep her hair long.

"Then I'm sure you are all eager to kick Free Ryloth out of town," said Serra. "Hydrate, I want us all ready to go in five minutes."

The younger Inquisitors broke out their canteens and began to drink.

Serra then raised the CO of the 105th. "General Klev, this is Countess Vader," she said.

"Go, Countess," replied Klev.

Serra: "Get the troops ready to move, it's time to bring the hammer down on the remaining insurgents."

"Yes, ma'am."

Serra and her companions met up with Klev a few minutes later. "All right," she began. "My Apprentices and I will take the Fourth Regiment and lead the main attack. Colonel Necrosis will be with the First Regiment as they attack the enemy's left flank, while the Marek Twins will assist the Second Regiment as they assault the right flank of the remaining Free Ryloth terrorists. General Klev, you will be remaining here with the Third Regiment who will act as our reserves to coordinate fire support and whatnot from the rear."'

Kiev's senior aide, a Captain, shook his head. "Do not be foolish, Countess," he said. "A droid has no place on the battlefield, especially in a position of auth-."

"ARRGH!" Necrosis roared in anger as he slammed his right fist into the forehead of the Captain, cracking his skull.

Kiev immediately glared at Necrosis. "Colonel, officers do not grow on farms like jogans!" he snarled.

Serra: "Enough! Everyone to your units, move it out! General, get the division ready to roll. Contact me the moment we're ready to leave."

All the CompForce troopers prepared for battle. Some put their respirators back on, having removed them thanks to the stifling heat. Others reloaded their weapons or picked up blast shields.

Klev: "Countess Vader, all units are mobilized and ready."

Serra grimly smiled beneath her mask; it was time for the Empire to either cleanse Lessu of Cham Syndulla's legion of followers or destroy it in the process.

"Begin the attack," she ordered, igniting her lightsabers.

Serra and her children charged into battle, the 105th hot on their heels. The Free Ryloth insurgents opened fire, but their shots couldn't penetrate the blast shields of the 105th and the Inquisitors were able to avoid or deflect any rounds fired at them. As a result, the anti-Imperial fighters were gradually forced to fall back.

Just as they reached the edge of the city, a machine gun turret on top of a Free Ryloth building. The gunner opened fire, his bullets cutting through the blast shields.

"Fall back, fall back!" one of the 105th officers ordered.

"RPD!"

"Run for the building!" Serra yelled at her kids. "Don't stop moving!"

Drawing on the Force for enhanced speed, Serra and her brood managed to make it to the outside of the building. The machine gunner noticed this and opened fire on Serra, who raised her hand and blocked the bullets with the Force.

Pausing to catch her breath, Thana looked at her mother when the five Inquisitors had all made and had their backs up against the wall. "You ready, Mom?" she asked.

"Are you guys?" she replied.

All four of her sons and daughters nodded.

"Good, then," Serra said. Using the Force to break a window, she guided a flashbang into the building, stunning the occupants on the first floor.

The Imperial Dark Side Adepts promptly entered the room, cutting down anyone in their path. None of the Twi'leks (or the one Human Rylothian they saw on the first floor) had dropped their weapons and surrendered, so trying to take them alive would have been foolish.

"I see 'em!" another Free Ryloth combatant yelled as he opened fire with a slugthrower rifle. Asher intercepted most of the rounds with his lightsaber, but one of them got past his defenses and slammed into his chest.

"BASTARD!" Serra hissed, throwing one of her lightsabers at the insurgent.

"Ugh," Asher groaned in pain. "It's okay, plate stopped the bullet."

"Malavai, Shmi," ordered Serra, "stay with Asher! Thana, with me!"

Finding a frag grenade on one of the dead Twi'leks, Serra tossed it up the stairs. After hearing the detonation, she and Thana rushed upstairs, lightsabers at the ready.

One terrorist remained alive, wounded by the shrapnel from the frag grenade. Not feeling merciful, Serra stabbed him in the chest before moving up to the top of the building.

The machine gunner had abandoned his heavy weapon and drawn a pistol. "For a free Ryloth!" he said, opening fire on Thana.

Thana was able to deflect the red particle bolts, but Serra had had enough of her children being threatened even if they had wanted to fight with her and Chad, so in a fit of rage she used the Force to shove the rebel insurgent off the roof, sending him screaming to his death.

Thana: "Thanks, Mom." She then used the Force to slice the machine gun in half. "We won't be needing this, so may as well make it only good for scrap metal. Can't have it ending up on the black market again, right?"

"Indeed." After walking back down to the first floor, Serra then called in a gunship for Asher and any other wounded Imperials in the area.

 ***CUT TO: _SENTINEL_ -CLASS LANDING CRAFT APPROACHING HIMS _STEEL TALON_ ***

"This is Count Vader to _Steel Talon_ Traffic Control," said Chad via comlink on behalf of the two pilots. "Requesting clearance to manually land, over."

"Count Vader, _Steel Talon_ TC," came the reply. "Roger that, your shuttle is cleared to manually land. Proceed with caution, over."

"Understood. Count Vader out."

The shuttle landed in the hangar bay of _Steel Talon_. "So," Chad said as the landing ramp extended, "what did you want me to talk about, Raana?"

"There's a Private from the One Hundred and Fifth who's been arrested for insubordination," Raana explained. "She claims her blaster malfunctioned."

Chad frowned. "You dragged me off a battlefield because of that?" he asked.

Raana shook her head. "First off, a CompForce soldier arrested for being insubordinate? That's something that just doesn't happen, and when it does happen it warrants an investigation just to make sure the universe isn't coming to an end. Second, the fact that she claims her blaster malfunctioned indicates she was ordered to fire. No one would be dumb enough to not open fire in combat. Plus her company was assigned to investigate a village where Huntmaster missiles were fired from, but the CO didn't report any casualties. Something's up."

The two Dark Side Adepts made it to a turbolift, allowing them to travel to the detention block where the CompForce Private was being held.

An Ensign with a bored expression on her face looked up as the door opened. "Hey, there's no scheduled-," she began to say before falling silent.

"My name is Count Vader," Chad said. "I need access to Private Paige Lynch, she's being held here."

"Of course, sir," the Ensign said. "Follow me."

The black-uniformed officer walked over to one of the cells and opened the door. As promised, Lynch was inside, dressed in full uniform save her armor.

Lynch flinched at first but stood up-Chad sensed that she feared her execution was imminent but was trying to meet her death in a dignified fashion. "Have I been sentenced to death, my lord?" she asked.

"I'm just here to ask you about what happened down on Ryloth, Private," he said.

"Sir, my rifle malfunctioned," Lynch told him.

Raana sighed. "We bloody know that, Private Lynch," said Raana. "Just what was your company doing? Your CO claims you are guilty of insubordination, but you blokes don't strike me as the type to not fire back and members of CompForce tend to be very obedient. More importantly, zero casualties were reported."

The detained CompForce prisoner looked down at her boots. "I can't say, my lady," she said softly.

Chad looked Lynch in the eye. "Private, if something horrible happened on Ryloth," he said to her, "we need to know about it."

Lynch: "The Rylothian village we were sent to search was wiped out."

For a full minute, both Chad and Raana were speechless. They were nostalgic for the old days when they led the 182nd Legion and looked down upon the 105th Division and CompForce in general. However, they didn't expect their disliked subordinates to needlessly kill civilians for no apparent reason.

"Your CO ordered the massacre of the villagers, didn't he?" asked Raana.

"Affirmative, Baroness Tano," answered Lynch. "Captain Jackson did so after communicating with Control following the capture of the villagers as well as a few Human civilians that were detained while attempted to pass through. None of the Rylothians escaped."

Chad and Raana clenched their fists, wishing they could throttle the whole company. "Thank you, Private Lynch. This information will prove most valuable in bringing your former comrades to justice."

 ***CUT TO: TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER, HANGAR BAY, HIMS _STEEL TALON_ ***

All of Lynch's company (save for the Private herself thanks to her testimony) were now present in the hangar bay, as well as the officer who had given the order to murder the Rylothian civilians, a Colonel who was in charge of their regiment.

"Troopers, do you know why you're here?" Raana asked via the hangar PA. She and Chad were safely isolated in the hangar's traffic control center, which could and was sealed off from the rest of the hangar. The sailors who normally manned the control center and the rest of the hangar itself had been ordered out at Chad's insistence, who had allowed for the technicians to lockdown the hangar bay first by sealing the doors before leaving.

"Because we were ordered to, milady," said the CompForce Colonel.

Raana was tempted to simply smash through the windows and slaughter the 105th soldiers with her lightsaber. However, what she and Chad had planned would be a much more satisfying way of dispensing justice.

"No," Chad said. "You are all here because you bastards all participated in the slaughter of innocent civilians. For that crime, the sentence is death."

Raana shutdown the life support for the hangar, allowing Chad to activate the bay pumps and begin to depressurize the area. The CompForce troopers began to panic, realizing they were doomed to suffocate. However, none of them had oxygen packs, so even if they got their respirators on they would still die horribly for what they had done.

 _Justice has been served._

 **ME: This chapter is dedicated to the victims of the recent terrorist attack on Istanbul's Atatürk airport, which makes the events of the previous two chapters Harsher in Hindsight.**

 **Build wise, imagine Malavai as looking like his namesake, Captain Malavai Quinn, from SWTOR, with Asher being more like Lieutenant Pierce in that he's taller and more muscular. Malavai sounds like the male Sith Inquisitor, Asher the male Sith Warrior, Shmi Lana Beniko, and Thana the female Sith Warrior. Shmi looks like Onixia from Retale's Sith Inquisitor. My good friend Ahsokafanboy1138 suggested Asher would look like Deagan from Retale's Sith Warrior, though Deagan has brown hair and isn't that bulky.**

 **I was originally gonna have Sinclair deliver the quote, but I decided on Appo instead. I'm thinking of basing the corps the 501st and Blizzard Force are a part of (I did mention Cody as a Lieutenant General, so him being in charge of a corps would make sense) off of the Eighteenth Airborne Corps: There'd be a 10th Mountain Division equivalent (the 501st Legion), a 3rd Infantry Division equivalent (Blizzard Force; the 3rd Infantry used to be the 18th's hammer and had a lot of tanks), a 82nd Airborne Division equivalent, and a 101st Airborne Division equivalent (granted, the 101st just uses helicopters for increased mobility, and gunships are probably ubiquitous in the Empire). Since Sinclair has been suggested as a political officer, maybe he's a Major General and said corps's loyalty officer?**

 **After finishing Plagueis, I should probably get started on the KOTOR comics, which apparently take place before the KOTOR and SWTOR games.**

 **A Chad/Ahsoka encounter on Ryloth has been suggested. I've been wondering about how to incorporate Maul, since I didn't like the being sucked into a tube idea, and it does kinda cheapen Obi-Wan's achievements if he can't kill a guy after chopping him in half. On the other hand, I don't think I've explicitly said he was chopped in half in this AU. Plus that power plant where Qui-Gon died was illogically designed anyway, so Maul being able to somehow escape isn't out of the question.**

 **Regardless, I hope this was alright. I may take a break and/or focus on TFM after this, so sorry in advance for any delays.**


	42. Chapter 42

**ME: Time to get back to the story of Spectre Team. Sorry for taking so long, I've been occupied lately. In light of the fact that I'm planning on purchasing the last two KOTOR Omnibuses to familiarize myself with Jarael, further updates may be delayed.**

People speak of the cost of war as if it were a simple equation. Let us remind them that no life lost in the service of a nation is wasted. No blood spilled for a worthy cause should be mourned. In the end we pay what we must because we believe it necessary that we do so.

 **(Chairman Jorhan Stahl, the first Helghast CEO of MandalMotors)**

It was not a good day to be a rebel, Hera reflected, as _Ghost_ travelled from Vekta to Helghan. Already HoloNet news reports were suggesting that the Justice Action Network was not a standalone group of terrorists but actually was secretly in league with the Alliance to Restore the Republic and their purpose was to commit atrocities against civilian supporters of the Empire without tarnishing the reputation of the Alliance.

"After all, who benefits from the senseless killing of Vektan men, women, and children?" said a HoloNet News anchor. "These acts of terrorism are clearly intended to strike fear into the hearts of innocents who rightfully support their Emperor, His Imperial Majesty the Great Uniter."

Hera shook her head. "Asshole propagandist," she muttered under her breath.

"Nothing we can do about it right now, Hera," Kanan said. "We just gotta get to Helghan. The Helghast and Vektans hate each other, so hopefully their rivalry will enable us to wait it out."

Lucas entered the cockpit. "Good news, sir and ma'am," he said. "I just finished speaking with Director Luger, we have an informant in Pyrrhus City. Codename's Zeus-if we find him, he can get us the fake IDs we need if we're gonna try hiding out on Helghan."

"Got it," replied Hera.

Spectre Team ultimately decided to not attempt to land at any of Pyrrhus's spaceports. The Helghast would be on high alert following the attacks on Vekta City, so while getting past Helghan's orbital defenses would be one thing, attempting to land _Ghost_ at an official spaceport and not get half of the local Death Watch garrison on their heels would be another. So the rebel cell decided to land outside of Pyrrhus and proceed to the city on foot.

"Citizens, it is good to see you enter Pyrrhus, the crown jewel of Helghan," said a male PA as the Spectres approached a checkpoint at the outskirts of the city along with a group of civilians. "Pyrrhus may not be as grand as Imperial City, but it is not from lack of effort. We are grateful for both visitors and new residents of Pyrrhus City. For those of you who have come to tour Pyrrhus, rest assured you will not regret your time here. To those who are here to join our great community, our factories offer the chance to earn credits and bring honor upon yourselves in doing your part to maintain peace and order in the galaxy."

"Bullshit," said one pale-skinned man with black hair and green eyes. "Half-breeds like us have always been treated like garbage by pureblood Vektans and Helghast alike."

"At least both of us will have jobs again," said a woman who was slightly shorter than the man and had blue eyes. Five teenagers-two boys and three girls-were walking behind the two adults.

"I can't believe we always get harassed by these fucks," said one of the teenage boys. "We oughta stand up and fi-."

"-quiet!" his father reprimanded him. "They hear you, we all get forced up against a wall and used for target practice."

There were a few Helghast troopers guarding the checkpoint. They wore gray armor, and their helmets, in addition to possessing visible filters, had tubes linked to them.

 _Probably hooked up to some kind of oxygen supply in case the filters don't cut it,_ Kanan thought.

"Alright, next," said the technician operating the checkpoint's scanner.

The half-breed father turned to his wife as another man moved forward. "I'll go first," he told her. "If anything goes wrong, take the kids and make a run for it." He then turned to his sons and said, "Boys, look out for your mother and sisters if I don't make it back."

A woman moved up next to be scanned, only for an alarm to go off. "Got one!" said the technician.

"Wait, sir!" the half-breed woman said as a guard grabbed her arm. "My husband's right here!"

The couple were dragged off by the Helghast Imperials. "Next, come on!" said the technician.

The half-breed father moved up. The alarm went off again. "Got another one!" the technician announced.

"Shit!" the father said. "Guys, run!"

"Not so fast!" said one Helghast trooper as he and his partner advanced towards the crowd while the unlucky father was detained. "Alright, traitors, stop and put your hands-."

Lucas, who was the closest of the rebels, detonated the EMP device he had on him.

The other Spectres sprang into action following that action. Karan, Hera, Sabine, and Diana broke out concealed SMGs and opened fire. Lucas advanced forward with a suppressed slugthrower pistol. Spotting the Helghast guard who had grabbed the half-breed father, Lucas aimed for the weak spot inherent in all variants of _beskar'gam_ and fired, putting two rounds in the Imperial's neck. In less than sixty seconds all the Helghast soldiers were dead or otherwise neutralized.

"Thank you, sir," the father of five said to Lucas before reuniting with his wife and children.

"I'm just trying to do the right thing, no need to thank me," Lucas replied before rejoining Spectre Team.

Zeb held the rifle of one of the dead Helghast. "All right, everyone," he said. "Get clear of the area, the Imps'll be all over this place any minute now and I don't want any of you caught in the crossfire." After what he had witnessed at both Lasan and Grand Central Station, Zeb wanted nothing more than to keep collateral damage to a minimum. "I doubt these faux Stormtroopers give a shit about civilian casualties, nor does their boss Visari, AKA 'Palpatine wannabe Number One.'"

"We may need to head into the sewers," said Ezra. "Disgusting, I know, but it's not as if we can get picky."

With any luck, if it came down to that even tough Near-Humans like the Helghast would hopefully be aversive to going into the sewers of a large city like Pyrrhus.

 ***CUT TO: HANGAR BAY, HIMS _RELENTLESS_ ***

"Alright, Jerec," Serra said. "How well have you trained your apprentice?"

The High Inquisitor of the Outer Rim smiled. "To the best of my ability, my lady," he replied in a haughty tone. "I assure you that Commander Leonis is more than ready for field work."

"Let's test that theory," replied the Jar'Kai expert. "The Marek twins, Leonis, and Commander Jade against my brood, practice fight. First team to have one of their own out of the fight loses. Only rules are Force-pushes and pulls as well as ring lightsabers set to training mode and non-lethal CQC, no blasters or anything fancy like Force lightning or chokes."

The Miraluka smiled. "As luck would have it, my apprentice has not had the time to construct an additional lightsaber yet," he said. "This will be a relatively fair fight, milady."

Serra rolled her eyes. "Only you could possibly be enough of a dumbass to think that things like fair fights exist, Jerec."

The older Inquisitor frowned, but she could care less about Jerec's opinion of her.

The Imperial Countess passed on word to the younger Dark Side Adepts, who nodded then readied their weapons.

"Are you guys ready?" Serra asked.

There was a chorus of, "Ready, Mother," and, "Ready, Mom," from Serra's four children, followed by similar (albeit more impersonal, of course) declarations from Mara and the Mareks. Leonis was the last to answer, saying, "I'm as ready as I'll ever be, Countess."

"Good," Serra said. "Begin in t-minus five, four, three, two, one...NOW!"

Plasma blades ignited and the Apprentice Inquisitors charged at each other. Asher engaged Galen, Malavai locked blades with Mara, Thana and Bellona clashed, and Shmi ended up fighting Leonis.

Though most of the young Imperial Dark Jedi were relatively even, give or take, as opponents given their lack of experience, Jerec's student had been conscripted into the Inquisition relatively recently and thus had the least training of all. As a result, Leonis was on the defensive for most of the fight, struggling to defend herself from Shmi's blows.

"Hey, Shmi!" yelled Asher as he blocked a blow from Galen.

"Yes, Asher?" replied Serra's youngest daughter, who was now forcing Leonis to move back.

"You're welcome in advance!" Asher said as he kicked Galen in the chest before using the Force to yank Leonis's lightsaber out of her hands.

Shmi didn't waste time, hitting the older girl in the neck. Leonis yelped in pain-the red plasma blade hadn't been powerful enough to pierce her flesh, but it did cause a painful burn.

"Good work, kids," Serra said. "Keep a better grip on your weapon, Leonis." The High Inquisitor shook her head as she returned the younger woman's lightsaber. "Had Shmi not set her saber to training mode, your head would be on the floor right now. Instead you are merely burned and have cost your teammates their chance at victory. It appears that Jerec is a poor instructor."

Jerec immediately looked Serra in the eye. "How dare you, Countess!" he snarled at her. "I am High Inquisitor of the Outer Rim for a reason, you insolent-!"

Serra got in his face. "Need I remind you of the fact that I outrank you as second-in-command of the Inquisition, Jerec?" she said. "If anyone is being insolent, it's you."

"And how did you get that post?" Jerec said, not taking the hint. "Did you blow the Emp-."

She cut him off with a slap to the face. Serra could've easily just punched, kneed, or even backhanded him, but being slapped would be humiliating for a creature like Jerec.

The Apprentice Inquisitors, doing their best to pretend that they hadn't been paying attention to Jerec and Serra's quarrel, shook hands and congratulated each other.

"Apologies about the burn, Commander Leonis," said Shmi. "I figured it would be the quickest way to conclude the fight."

"It's alright," Leonis replied. "I should be more worried about my master, he's gonna be pissed at me."

While Jerec was indeed irritated by his student's poor performance, he decided it would be better and more productive to simple train her harder. Leonis was a smart Imperial cadet before being spirited away from Lothal by his predecessor; successfully making a full Inquisitor out of her would improve Jerec's own station in the Empire.

 ***CUT TO: FREE RYLOTH PLANETARY HEADQUARTERS, RYLOTH***

It had been a while since Ahsoka had set foot on Ryloth, having fought against Foreman Wat Tambor's occupation of the planet back during the Clone Wars.

Now she was once more fighting against an armed occupation of Ryloth-but the odds were now even further against the native Twi'leks.

"General Tano, General Syndulla," said a Free Ryloth officer. "We've just received word from Lessu-the uprising there has failed. Our forces inflicted heavy losses upon the Imperials, but they were forced to retreat."

Cham nodded before addressing the room. "This fight will be a long and difficult one, my friends," he said. "For those of you who remember the Separatist invasion of our world, know that I led braver men and women than myself against Tambor's battle droids even before Jedi General Mace Windu and his forces arrived. This time, we cannot count on having those kind of reinforcements anytime soon."

Ahsoka stepped forward. "But nothing worth doing is ever easy, ladies and gentlemen," she said. "So remember who and what you're fighting for." _Your friends and family and a free Ryloth,_ Ahsoka didn't bother to vocalize.

Colonel Gregor Hakha, who Ahsoka had brought along with her to Ryloth, frowned as he entered the room. "General Tano, we've detected four Imperial landers in our airspace," he said.

"These guys on an attack mission?" she asked.

"Negative, ma'am," Hakha answered. "If anything, these Imperials appear to be on some sort of reconnaissance mission. However, we have detected chatter that indicates the possibility that an occupant of one of the shuttles is a high-ranking Imperial officer. If we take him or her out, this could prove to be a major blow against the Empire."

"If you haven't confirmed the presence of said officer, this could be a trap," Cham pointed out. "General Tano, if we take action against the landing craft, we could risk exposing our presence here."

Ahsoka sensed something off about one of the shuttles. Probing further, she discovered it was Chad. She had last encountered the man in the Imperial attack on Garel, but all she had done was distract him from the battle by engaging and fleeing from him before escaping into hyperspace.

 _Chad was an excellent commander back during the Clone Wars. This could be my one chance to take him out. The longer he lives, the more people that will die because of him and any troops he commands._

"Someone get me a SAM launcher," Ahsoka said. "I'm taking this bastard out myself."

 ***CUT TO: _SENTINEL_ -CLASS LANDING CRAFT, RYLOTH AIRSPACE***

"Count Vader, we're detecting increased activity on infrared," the copilot said from the cockpit. "We could be at the location of a rebel base, sir."

Chad frowned, sensing a presence in the Force he had once welcomed but was now on the wrong side of an increasingly destructive civil war. "Alright, prep for landing," he ordered. "I'll lead the search my-."

"SAM WATCH, SAM WATCH!" the pilot screamed.

Evasive maneuvers were initiated, but despite the actions of both of the pilots the shuttle was hit by the SAM. "Ion warhead!" said the copilot.

"We've lost all power!" added the pilot. "We're going down, brace for a hard landing!"

The shuttle slammed into the ground. Chad, thanking the Force for his good fortune, was uninjured. The pilot was dead, his copilot injured and unable to move. There were a mixture of fatalities and injuries among the remaining crew and passengers, though thankfully half the platoon of CompForce troopers aboard were completely unharmed.

 _If nothing else, CompFarcers make good, expendable meat shields,_ the Count of the Empire thought.

"What are your orders, my lord?" asked the platoon's senior NCO, for the Lieutenant had been killed in the crash.

In response to the question, Chad ignited his lightsaber and created an exit from the wrecked shuttle. "Try not to get in my way," he said.

 **ME: This chapter is dedicated to the three police officers who were murdered in Baton Rogue and the Turkish men and women who perished in the recent failed coup.**

 **The half-breed triplet girls are a Mythology Gag-I originally wanted Serra and Chad to have triplet daughters, but Ahsokafanboy1138 wanted twins instead. Any ideas for what Spectre Team should get up to on Helghan? Imagine Pyrrhus as looking like East Berlin 2.0-I mean, the New Helghan half of Vekta City somewhat, considering how Helghan has access to more advanced technology in TECD than they do in Killzone.**

 **Zare's sister, Dhara, being taken out in a fairly embarrassing manner is a case of Reality Ensues considering how even though the Vader kids are younger than her they probably are better trained, though I'm certain Ahsoka would mop the floor with all of Serra and Chad's brood if they tried to take her on themselves.**

 **Ahsokafanboy1138 suggested a Chad vs. Ahsoka confrontation-how would that go?**

 **I hope the update was alright. This may be it for a while, folks, for I plan on finishing the KOTOR comics this week. Thank you for your valuable time, I appreciate it.**


	43. Chapter 43

**ME: Sorry for taking so long to update, guys. I have been busy and started college.** **As such, I won't have as much free time within all odds. But here's** **something I was able to get out.**

It doesn't matter what actions His Imperial Majesty takes, Grand Vizier. There will always be those who will oppose the New Order, and it is up to men like myself and Lord Vader to deal with such disloyal groups.

 **(Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, Governor of the Outer Rim, speaking with Grand Vizier Mas Amedda)**

Ahsoka drew her lightsabers and ignited their white blades when Chad exited the crashed shuttle, more than a dozen CompForce troopers in tow.

"You know, I considered firing an RPD at you," she told the other Force-sensitive. "I decided against it, but not to give you a fair fight or anything. I held off on rockets because I was worried you'd send it right back at us."

"If so, then a smart move on your behalf, Ahsoka," Chad replied. So far neither side had opened fire at the behest of their superiors. "A pity you threw in your lot with terrorists and insurgents. How the mighty have fallen."

"A bit rich, coming from a guy who was happy to let me die or rot in a prison cell in spite of his earlier heroism. I can't imagine just how disappointed Master Windu was because of the shit you pulled."

The Imperial Count was infuriated by the last sentence of Ahsoka's statement, but he knew she was trying to piss him off and kept himself in check. "Just stand down and order your subordinates to do the same, Ahsoka," he said. "Do that, and I can protect them from _unnecessary_ harm."

"Enough talk!" said a Twi'lek rebel before Ahsoka could response, though Chad doubted she would have acquiesced to his request. "Eat plasma, Imperial scum!"

A blue particle bolt flew towards Chad, who calmly deflected the round. "Return fire!" he ordered the CompForce troopers. "I want the Jedi alive, the rest are fair game!"

Some of the COMPNOR soldiers were shot and killed, but the majority were able to kneel or lay flat on the ground before engaging the insurgents.

Chad and Ahsoka ran towards each other and clashed blades. The Dark Jedi tried to cut into Ahsoka with the secondary blades of his weapon, but she realized what Chad was doing just in time and kicked him in the groin. He grunted in pain, and Ahsoka then Force-pushed Chad back a few meters.

"I don't want to kill you, _traitor_ ," she snarled. The Togruta woman had once admired Chad as a Jedi and as a person; even now, the idealistic part of her wanted to redeem him even if such a thing was unlikely. "But I'll do what I have to if it means the oppression of Palps and his fellow control freaks ends. So give up while you still can."

Chad shook his head as he advanced on her. "I don't want to kill you either, Ahsoka," he replied. "But if you don't surrender right now, I don't think I'll have a choice in the matter."

The two warriors locked blades again. Chad held his lightsaber with one hand and punched her in the face with the other. She spat blood afterwards before shoving Chad backwards and landing a hit on one of his legs.

"DAMMIT!" he hissed. In spite of his pain, the Lieutenant Governor of the Outer Rim couldn't help but admire the younger duelist's increased skill in battle.

 _Too bad she isn't on the right side of this war..._

Ahsoka pressed the attack, hoping to kill or at least incapacitate Chad. However, not only was he able to fend off her attacks but send a Force-enhanced kick to her chest, bruising one of Ahsoka's ribs.

 _Fierfek,_ Ahsoka thought as she grunted in pain but kept standing. _Chad's gotta be in his late thirties by now, but age hasn't softened him._

"I really had hoped for a less painful reunion," he said. "What will it be, Ahsoka? I have no problem sticking you in a cryo-chamber and dragging you off this rock if that's what it takes."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," she growled. "I'd just end up like you-a tool of the dark side until Vader or Palps figure I'm more trouble than I'm worth and bump me off."

 ***CUT TO: HANGAR BAY, ARRS _SERENITY_ ***

"Alright, people, let's go!" Mal said as he helped load some of the crates aboard _Serenity_. "General Tano ordered us to help clean house, and that is exactly what we're gonna do!"

"It's good that the lady gave us the order when she did," said Zoe. "I hear the Imps are getting more interested in this part of the planet. We don't get out quick, there's a good chance the hammer'll come down on us and it'll be too late to start running. Best thing to do is live to fight another day."

"My thoughts exactly," grunted Jayne. "No point in getting killed if Tarkin's attack akk and his thugs win anyway. What the hell kind of a name is 'Chad' anyway?"

"Jayne is a girl's name."

"Well Jayne ain't a girl!"

"Captain Reynolds!" said Colonel Hakha as he ran up the ramp. "Captain Reynolds!"

"Yes, Colonel?" replied the brown-haired man. He was somewhat annoyed at the interruption of the Near-Human officer, but he did respect Hakha and thus kept it from showing.

"I need you and your crew," explained Hakha. "General Tano's under attack by an Imperial with a lightsaber and most of the Free Ryloth fighters who accompanied her are dead! Her personal bodyguards are convinced that the General will be overwhelmed if we do not intervene."

Jayne smiled and grabbed his automatic shotgun, "Vera." "She's dueling with some buckethead armed with a lightsaber, you say?" he asked. "I've got just the right tool for the job, Colonel Hakha."

 ***CUT TO: DESERT OUTSIDE FREE RYLOTH PLANETARY HEADQUARTERS, RYLOTH***

"Why won't you just give up or die?!" Chad said. His mobility had been hampered by the lightsaber burn on his left leg, and the resulting pain hadn't helped.

"Killing me won't make you feel better about being one of the Empire's monsters, Chad," Ahsoka shot back. "It'll only just prove my point."

"I!" Chad snarled as he slammed his red blade into her two white ones. "AM NOT! A! MONSTER!"

"Get down!" yelled Captain Reynolds.

Ahsoka did so on instinct, and a stream of shotgun shells raced towards Chad. He tried to intercept them with his lightsaber and the Force, but one of them got by and slammed into his leg.

"GAH!" the Count screamed in pain as he fell to his knees and dropped his lightsaber.

Ahsoka pointed her lightsaber blades at Chad. "That must've hurt like a bitch," she said.

"Go ahead and chop my head off if that's what you want to do, Ahsoka," he replied. "I'm not gonna beg for my life, and decapitation would be preferable to being torn apart by a mob."

"That's not my style," responded Ahsoka. "But don't try anything funny or it'll be the last mistake you'll ever make."

"Ma'am, I suggest we either secure or execute him then evacuate," Hakha said. "Imperial forces are on their way."

Ahsoka thought she sensed a recognizable presence in the Force approaching. "No, we abandon this position and let them recover their Lieutenant Governor," she ordered.

Chad shook his head. "You really ought to just kill me," he said. "Or are you worried about hurting Raana's feelings?"

Ahsoka: "Tell my cousin she really needs to see a therapist." She then slammed the heel of her boot into Chad's head, knocking him out.

"Thanks for the assistance, Captain Reynolds." It appeared that Jayne, the most crude and violent of Reynolds's crew, was the one who had fired on Chad with the slug shotgun. "Now let's get out of here."

 ***CUT TO: SEWERS OF PYRRHUS CITY, HELGHAN***

"We need to find Zeus," Lucas said, at the front of the Spectres. "And not just so we can get away from this disgusting place."

"How do we know this guy won't pull something like Syndulla and Free Ryloth?" asked Diana. "For all we know Zeus could've sold us out to the Imps."

"Director Luger trusts him," replied Lucas. "So it looks like we can count on him, but let's prepare for the worst while hoping for the best."

Thankfully, Lucas had been able to tap into the Imperials' comms. "All units, this is Viper Two-Two Actual," said a low female voice. "I got dead checkpoint guards at my location, say again, multiple friendly KIAs at my location. Does anyone copy, over?"

"This is Viper Six Actual, copy that. Interrogative: Any idea on who would dare do something like this, Sergeant? Over."

Lucas grimaced as Viper Two-Two Actual replied and said, "Must be a large group of some kind, Captain. Possibly some half-breed insurgents, or JAN terrorists like the ones who hit the Vektans. Awaiting orders, over."

"You and your squad hold position for now, Two-Two Actual. If a civilian so much as looks at you the wrong way, report it in."

"Looks like the Imps are getting uneasy," said Kanan. "Lucas, how close are we to finding Zeus?"

"About five more blocks or so, give or take," replied the younger rebel.

Finally the group of insurgents were able to ascend to the surface and reach Zeus's hideout, though due to the Imperial patrols having been intensified the hearts of Spectre Team pounded in their chests as they made their way to the Helghast informant.

"Name?" a male voice said behind the other end of the door.

"I'm looking for Zeus," replied Lucas.

"Name?!" the voice repeated, more loudly than before.

"I'm Kellan."

"Challenge Gamma Red Seven."

Lucas: "Response Zeta Orange Niner."

The door opened, revealing the informant. "That was some nasty shit on Vekta," he said. "Damn JAN, they can be even nastier than the Empire."

"Yeah, we saw them massacre civilians for no reason other than petty spite and to sow fear amongst the Vektans," said Kanan.

Zeus grimaced. "Sorry to hear that, man," he replied. "Anyhow, I've gathered information on four top authority figures within the local government."

The Helghast man brought out a datapad. "This is Governor Scolar Visari, leader of the Helghast Imperials and quite possibly the most beloved figure on all of Helghan." Visari looked to be a bald, pale man with green eyes. "Palpatine has him to thank for turning Helghan into what it is now."

Next was a stately-dressed woman with an elaborate hair style. "This is his daughter, Lady Hera Visari. Lady Visari is the Planetary Minister of Helghan, but do not dismiss her. This woman is more than just another bureaucrat, she's deadly even if she isn't a soldier."

The third image depicted a bald man with a mustache. "Lieutenant Governor Orlock, Visari's second-in-command and one of the most dangerous men on all of Helghan."

The fourth picture was that of a bald, pale-skinned male Helghast whose face and eyes were masked by a respirator and a pair of glasses. "This is the leader of the Helghan Security Force, Anton Saric. He is a ruthless son of a bitch who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty helping out Death Watch and the Empire."

"What about Chairman Stahl?" asked Sabine. "He's the first Helghast CEO of MandalMotors and a prominent figure in the Imperial military-industrial-complex, even if he isn't as famous and influential as, say, the guys in charge of KDY."

"Due to Stahl's current job as CEO of MandalMotors, he isn't on Helghan as often as these four for obvious reasons," Zeus explained. "The real question here, ladies and gentlemen, is who do you want to bump off first if you have nothing better to do?"

 ***CUT TO: _SENTINEL_ -CLASS LANDING CRAFT IN RYLOTH AIRSPACE***

Contact with Chad's shuttle had been lost, and afterwards Serra had sensed his distress via their connection in the Force. As a result, she and Raana had flown off to rescue him.

"Countess Vader, the fleet is tracking unidentified vessels leaving the AO and heading for orbit," said a pilot via comms. "Shall we divert to intercept?"

Serra shook her head. "No, let the Navy deal with those bastards. My husband is our priority."

"Yes, ma'am," replied the pilot.

Eventually the shuttles made landfall, and Serra charged out of her lander to find Chad.

The love of her life was still breathing, but it wasn't a result of protecting himself from harm. His left leg had been burned by a lightsaber, and Chad's wound had probably been aggravated by what looked to be an electroshock round. Plus it looked like someone had stomped on his head.

"Chad!" she screamed, trying to heal the wound with the Force as the medics and Raana ran over. _If he dies, I'll hunt the sons of bitches who did this down myself..._

"Ugh," Chad groaned, regaining consciousness. "Ahsoka definitely isn't a Padawan anymore."

Raana shook her head. "You were shot by a slugthrower shell," she said. "I knew she'd never beat you in a fair fight."

"Fighting fair is for suckers," Chad replied. "But thanks for coming to get me, girls."

Serra let the medics do their jobs, but she insisted on flying Chad to safety herself. "Because I'm his wife and that's what he'd do if I was badly wounded," she snapped when questioned.

In spite of the blows dealt to Free Ryloth, for the High Inquisitor the fact that her husband had been badly wounded soured the taste of victory. _Ahsoka as an adult is ironically more of a pain in the ass than when she was a teenager,_ she thought. _She's gotta be thirty-two by now._

"Tarkin is going to be pissed when he hears about this," Raana muttered after Chad had been placed in a bacta tank.

"That is the least of our problems," replied Serra.

 **ME: I am considering putting this series on hiatus and focusing on TFM for a while, assuming I get any free time at all.**

 **Ahsokafanboy1138 suggested Chad and Ahsoka would have an even fight (probably helps that Ahsoka, unlike Etain and Bardan, doesn't lack confidence in her abilities). As such, I had them both wound/injure each other in order to reflect that. Hopefully the fight wasn't that bad.**

 **I dedicate this fanfic to my history professor, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force.**

 **Anyone have any ideas for the next chapter?**


	44. Chapter 44

**ME: Time for a little social gathering for the Imperials. No idea on how to proceed with Spectre Team at the moment.**

As Imperial cadets, you are not merely students of the Imperial Academy system. You are the future leaders who will command troops in order to defend our New Order. Some of you may not survive future battles against insurrection, neo-Separatism, and lawlessness. But your sacrifices will help to ensure that the Empire survives, and as a result, those of you who do perish in the fight against enemies of the Empire can take comfort in the fact that your lives were not wasted.

 **(His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Sheev Palpatine, speaking to the first cadets attending the Royal Imperial Academy on Imperial Center)**

Shmi had worried for her father when her mother reported to Shmi and her siblings that he had been wounded on Ryloth. One of her brothers, Asher, had already been shot, and as a result of both events Shmi would not remember her family's time on Ryloth fondly.

Luckily enough, thanks to Imperial medicine both Asher and her father had recovered quickly. Now Shmi and her three siblings were meeting with their parents to discuss something in private.

"Your mother and I are real proud of you guys," Chad said. "All of you did well on Ryloth-especially you, Asher, in light of taking a bullet to the chest."

Asher smiled. "Come on, Dad," he said. "I was wearing armor, a slugthrower round wasn't gonna kill me."

Serra shook her head. "You still were wounded serving the New Order," she said. "Just like your father. So, Asher, I'm pleased to tell you and your siblings that we're attending an Imperial ball on Eriadu tomorrow."

Shmi smiled. By far the most feminine member of House Vader, she always did enjoy dressing up. And a ball was the perfect occasion to indulge herself while spending time with her family in a safe environment. It wouldn't erase their memories of Ryloth, but it would definitely be better than nothing.

"Oh, I see that look in your eyes, Shmi," said Asher in a teasing tone. "You're gonna prance around in a fancy dress while somehow not tripping in your heels."

Shmi crossed her arms, annoyed. "There's nothing wrong with a _girl_ being _feminine_ , Asher," she shot back. "Not all of us can be Neanderthals like you."

"Thank you for the compliment," Asher replied with a smirk.

Chad put up his hands. "Cut it out, Asher," he ordered. "Your sister likes to wear fancy clothes when she can, women can be like that. If you haven't gotten that in your head yet, you're in for a rude awakening."

"So unless you get a very masculine tomboy," Serra added, "kiss your chances of getting a woman when you grow up good-bye."

Despite his machismo, Asher blushed. "Okay, fine," he said, turning to Shmi. "Look, sis, I was just kidding around. Just don't trip and fall, how do you and other girls even walk in those things?"

She smirked. "Very carefully," Shmi told Asher. "Some self-proclaimed 'macho man' like you couldn't do it."

"Enough," Serra chided lightly. "Why don't all of you simply prepare for the ball? This won't be an ordinary event, Grand Moff Tarkin will be there along with other figures from politics, nobility, the Military, science, business, you name it."

Shmi nodded and went to her quarters. Stored in her closet was an evening gown she rarely had an opportunity to wear. It was made of black fabric, and while strapless Shmi's chest and back would be covered; she didn't think exposing her cleavage at formal events was appropriate, and neither of Shmi's parents would have approved of a more revealing dress anyway. Besides, Shmi's gown was more than suitable for both the ball and the daughter of two important Imperials.

Arriving at the Seswenna Sector Moff's Mansion the next day, Shmi and the rest of the attending members of House Vader were impressed by what they saw. The residence was protected by Stormtroopers in gleaming white armor, said defense probably reinforced in light of the ongoing social event. Illuminated red, white, and black banners marked the building as one befitting the home of the highest-ranking official in the local sector government, as did the stately design of the mansion.

An older Imperial officer greeted the six Dark Side Adepts on the ground. "Welcome to Eriadu, Count Vader," said the officer. "Governor Tarkin hopes you and your family had a pleasant trip, sir."

Chad nodded. "Thank you, Colonel," he replied. "Where exactly is the Grand Moff?"

"Follow me, my lord," responded the Colonel. "The Governor would've greeted you personally, but he was occupied when informed of your arrival."

"I understand, Colonel," said Chad. "I am the Governor's second-in-command, after all."

 ***CUT TO: INTERIOR HALL, SESWENNA SECTOR MOFF'S MANSION, ERIADU CITY, ERIADU***

Cadet Zadawi Vandrayk was lucky enough to be selected as one of a handful of cadets from the Imperial Academy on Carida to attend the Eriadu ball as a reward for her performance; the Arkanian Offshoot had suspected that, in light of the fact that she was younger than most of her peers at fourteen yet in spite of that was one of the top students at the Academy made Zadawi's instructors thought she would become an excellent officer in the future and thus had decided to give her a chance to meet powerful people in the upper echelons of His Imperial Majesty's Government and other elements of the Empire's power structure. It was expected, after all, that the Academy would invest in the cream of its crop.

What she didn't expect at all was to see six members of House Vader show up at the ball. And said group of six was an impressive sight, succeeding in turning the heads of everyone from Zadawi and one of her fellow cadets to more than a few officers, nobles, and aristocrats.

Count Chad Vader, Lieutenant Grand Moff of the Outer Rim, was dressed in a standard gray Imperial officer's uniform but the unique weapon on his belt indicated even to those unfamiliar with the Lieutenant Governor that he was no ordinary officer. His wife, Countess Serra Vader, was only slightly shorter than him, which many apparently found intimidating about her, and was wearing a caped dress. Four young teenagers followed them, most likely the couple's children. Three-two boys and one girl-were dressed in red-trimmed black uniforms with a red Imperial Seal in place of rank insignia, while the fourth teenager, a girl, was dressed in a black evening gown.

Unfortunately, a fellow cadet named Shia Blum whistled discretely. "Damn," he said. "Check out the girl in the dress, Vandy. Is she fine or what?"

Zadawi scowled at him. "As far as I'm concerned, _Blum_ ," she shot back, "we aren't friends. So please refrain from using that nickname."

Blum put his hands up. "Come on, this is a kriffing _ball_ ," he told her. "We're just cadets and we still got invited here, so obviously someone higher up on the food chain likes us."

Meanwhile Shmi sipped at a glass of mineral water while her parents talked with Grand Moff Tarkin. While the young Inquisitor was proud of her skills with a lightsaber at just thirteen, Shmi knew that her body was still developing and thus she chose to avoid drinking alcohol. Besides, a social event was not the place to get drunk and risk embarrassing her family, so she was content with enjoying refined non-alcoholic beverages.

A young man who looked to be around Shmi's age or that of her brothers dressed in a cadet uniform approached her. "Hello there, Miss," he said in a tone that was polite but bordered on flirting. "Would you like a new drink? You seem almost finished with your water."

Shmi shook her head. "This glass is only half empty, Cadet," she said. "Who are you?"

The cadet shook his head. "Oh, where are my manners?" he replied. "Name's Cadet Shia Blum of the Cliffside Academy, ma'am. In the unlikely event that a lady as intelligent as yourself doesn't know what that is, Miss, it's the Imperial Academy on Carida."

"Ah, Carida," Shmi said. "One of the cornerstones of the Imperial Academy system, along with the facilities on Corulag and Raithal." She paused to take a sip of water before adding, "I, Cadet Blum, am Dame Shmi Vader. I work for COMPNOR."

"COMPNOR?" Blum remarked. "So what, are you Double-Zero-Seven or something, Dame Vader?"

She smiled. "I don't drink martinis."

While Shia and Shmi chatted, Zadawi made polite small talk with a young up-and-coming engineer from Rothana. Said RHE engineer was definitely ambitious and mildly arrogant, but he was genuinely affable as he discussed the importance of Rothana as a source for Imperial Army vehicles and how proud he was of his homeworld's contributions to the Empire.

 _Good think all I've had to drink is ice water,_ she thought after the conversation concluded. _That way I don't have to deal with a hangover tomorrow and only have momentary interruptions._

Shortly after Zadawi walked out of the rest room, she bumped into a figure dressed in a black uniform.

Doing her best to conceal her blush, the cadet straightened and prepared for a rebuke. "My apologies, sir-," she began.

Instead of a Stormtrooper officer or TIE pilot as she originally expected, it was one of the two teenage boys that had accompanied Count and Countess Vader, Zadawi saw as he turned on his heel. The teenager had black hair and blue eyes that reminded the Arkanian Offshoot of the two older Imperials.

"It's quite alright, Cadet," said the young man before he began extending his hand. "My name is Sir Malavai Vader, what is yours?"

Zadawi shook it. "Cadet Zadawi Vandrayk, Sir Vader," she said. "Sir, it is an honor to meet someone of your standing."

Malavai smiled and shook his head. _She seems nice, if somewhat distant. But it's not as if we've met before and Zadawi is an Imperial cadet, after all._ "My parents are the ones I would be honored to meet if I were in your shoes, Cadet Vandrayk. Or, in this case, your boots. Would you like to meet them? Being their son, I can introduce you to my mother and father if you wish."

Zadawi figured that Sir Vader was being genuinely nice, so she decided to graciously accept his offer. "Thank you, Sir Vader," the Near-Human cadet said. "I am grateful for this opportunity you have provided."

Chad watched Shmi talk with an Imperial cadet, muttering under his breath that he'd kill the cadet if he tried to take advantage of his youngest daughter or hurt her in anyway. Serra had half-joking told him to "get in line," for she didn't approve of the cadet in question either and actually ordered Thana and Asher to keep an eye on him.

"Father, Mother?"

Both parents turned to find their eldest child, Malavai, accompanied by a female Arkanian Offshoot who was dressed in a cadet uniform.

"Yes, Malavai?" Serra asked.

Malavai smiled. "Mother, I would like you and Father to meet Cadet Zadawi Vandrayk. I have a good feeling about her, so I thought it would be good to introduce her to you two."

"Good evening, Count Vader," Zadawi said, managing to keep her voice calm. "Good evening, Countess Vader. I'm no fashion expert, my lady, but your dress is quite lovely."

Chad smiled at the complement the cadet had paid his wife; sure they had just met, but the girl probably was of good stock if Malavai had thought to introduce Zadawi to him and Serra, plus she had not only kept calm but failed to resort to ass-kissing as others would in an effort to curry favor.

"Good evening, Cadet Vandrayk," Chad replied. "Tell me-do you have any suggestions you wish to tell me, Cadet?"

His question shocked the girl. "My lord, I am a cadet who hasn't even graduated from Carida yet," Zadawi protested. "Surely you would wish to speak with a senior officer instead."

Chad shook his head. "Nonsense. You are clearly a talented young woman with a promising future ahead of you, Cadet, otherwise you would not have been invited to this ball. So I am interested in what you have to say."

Shia enjoyed talking to Shmi. Sure, things were definitely better for her than they had ever been for him, but that didn't mean she was some spoiled, snobby brat. If anything, Shmi had been quite nice to him after they had exchanged names. The fact that Shmi was quite beautiful with her black hair and green eyes was simply a bonus, although it was definitely something the young man appreciated (Shia had avoided staring at Shmi's chest out of politeness, opting to take in her face instead).

Suddenly Shmi frowned. Before Shia could ask her what was wrong, someone put a hand on his shoulder. "Greetings, Cadet."

He turned to find a tall and bulky young man who Shia recognized as one of the two teenage boys who had shown up with Shmi. Disturbingly, the guy had one blue eye and one green eye. Accompanying him was a girl who looked to be around Shmi's age, but taller and more muscular along with shorter hair. _Damn, these must be siblings of hers..._

"Shmi, has this cadet been bothering you?" asked the girl.

"No, Thana," Shmi snapped, her uncharacteristic tone indicating her feelings on her older siblings' interference. "Shia here has been quite the gentleman, did Father send you two?"

"Actually, Mom sent us," said Asher before looking Shia in the eye. "Shia, huh? Well, my name's Asher. I'm one of Shmi's three older siblings, Shia."

"Technically, Asher," Shmi said, "Thana doesn't count. She's only a few minutes older than me."

"That still counts," replied Thana before staring down Shia. "Do you know what girls like me due to guys like you if they break our sisters' heart-."

"- _don't_ , Thana," Shmi interrupted her. "Shia hasn't kissed or even laid a finger on me, so there's no problem here for you or Asher to deal with."

Asher shook his head. "You're the youngest of the family, Shmi. It's our job to protect you, especially from boys."

 **ME: Not sure if I should keep watching KOTOR 2 videos. I've only seen the first two videos of virtualcat2010's Light Side male walkthrough, but I wasn't impressed at all, whereas KOTOR did succeed in making a good impression early on. Maybe I oughta skip ahead to SWTOR for gameplay videos.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to all the honorable veterans of the War on Terror who have committed suicide. Speaking as a guy who's attempted suicide in the past and hates how victims of PTSD, namely veterans, are portrayed, we as a society should hang our heads in shame for fearing PTSD-afflicted veterans when in reality the majority of those who pick up guns are more likely to blow their own brains out rather than someone else's.**

 **I couldn't come up with better names for Zadawi and Shia. Hell, apart from Zadawi being an Arkanian Offshoot, I have no idea on the two when it comes to height and looks-you guys can imagine Shia as a Twi'lek at this point until further notice. Ideas are appreciated, I always like descriptive reviews.**


	45. Chapter 45

**ME: Sorry for taking so long, I had writer's block (i.e. lack of ideas) and college to deal with, guys. But I wanted to get something out before Rogue One, which I of course haven't seen yet as of this writing. Hopefully this won't suck.**

I am so glad you've agreed to cooperate with COMPNOR on this very sensitive matter, Chairman Stahl. Mark my words, you won't forget it.

 **(Director Armand Isard, speaking to Chairman Jorhan Stahl of MandalMotors)**

Hera's personal holoprojector began to beep.

She grabbed it just as Lucas raised a hand. "Hang on, ma'am," he said in a firm yet polite tone.

The former ISB agent commenced a brief but thorough sweep of the room. When he had determined that the area wasn't bugged, Lucas nodded to Hera.

The Twi'lek Rebel tapped at her holoprojector, which then displayed a shrouded figure. "Fulcrum here," the hologram said. "This is just a recorded message, Spectre Two, so unfortunately you can't ask questions right now. Just listen. I repeat, just keep quiet and listen to this message."

There was a silent pause for several seconds, as though Ahsoka didn't want them to talk over anything important. "I've received word that MandalMotors is working with Imperial Intelligence and is using prisoners for research. Where they're doing this is currently unknown, all I know for certain is that the experiments are most likely being conducted within Stahl Arms facilities on Helghan. I'd like it if you could bump off some Helghast Imperial VIPs, Spectre Team, but if you can stop these experiments, we can both hinder the Empire and save lives. Who knows, maybe they'll join our little rebellion. Regardless, good luck, proceed with caution, and may the Force be with you. Fulcrum out."

Lucas frowned. "I don't think they'll be conducting experiments within Pyrrhus's city limits," he said. "More likely, they'll be handled in a more remote area where Imperial transports coming and going for no explicit reason won't be noticed."

"Well, then!" Zeus said. "Are you blokes in for a treat, because I just so happen to have heard rumors of a new Stahl Arms installation being constructed!"

Kanan nodded. "Good to hear that, Zeus. We may not be able to topple the Empire's puppet government here, but saving innocents is never a waste of time and effort. Did the rumors you hear about indicate anything about the facility's location?"

 ***CUT TO: OUTSIDE OF COMMANDANT'S OFFICE, CARIDA ACADEMY, CARIDA***

Cadet Zadawi Vandrayk was nervous about being summoned to the Commandant's office. Sure, she was a hard worker and had been deemed worthy of an invitation to an Imperial ball on Eriadu, but Zadawai's experiences growing up taught her to never let her guard down.

Unfortunately, Blum had evidently also been summoned, for he waited outside with her. "Relax, Vandy," he said in a casual tone that she would have disapproved of using in an official setting even if they had been friends. "We rubbed shoulders with House Vader, one of the most powerful families in the Outer Rim. If anything, Commandant Tagge's probably gonna congratulate us for scoring."

Zadawi glared at him. "For the last time, Blum," she said in a low voice, "don't. Call. Me. Vandy."

Blum raised an eyebrow. "Do you want a different nickname?" he asked. "How about Zad?"

The door to the office opened. "Enter, Cadets," Commandant Massimo Tagge's voice ordered.

The two cadets entered the room as ordered, only for both of them to freeze upon seeing Count Vader standing in the office along with a Togruta woman.

"Greetings, Cadets Vandrayk and Blum," Commandant Tagge said with a smile. He was a cousin of House of Tagge's three most prominent scions-that and Tagge's own skills as an officer had lead to him being placed in charge of one of the Empire's most prestigious and important Academies. "I am pleased to announce that the two of you have been commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the Imperial Army by order of Grand Moff Tarkin. Congratulations on being able to serve our Emperor this way at such a young age."

Zadawi nodded, partially relieved, partially not believing the Commandant's second sentence. "Thank you, Commandant Tagge," she said. "But I'm afraid I do not deserve such an honor, sir."

Count Vader spoke next. "Nonsense, Lieutenant," he said. "I've reviewed your record-you grew up as a slave in a gladiator pit run by the Hutt Cartel. Despite the odds being heavily stacked against you, Lieutenant Vandrayk, you escaped armed only with a shockstaff at age eleven. You lived on your own for a few years before saving an off-duty Imperial recruiter from a mugger. Your self-stated motives for training since those events to become an Imperial officer is to help bring order and prosperity to worlds that suffer from the fallout of organized crime."

Zadawi: "That is all correct, sir." The only reason the Empire knew of her background as a pit slave was because she had been questioned and had simply given honest answers. Zadawi knew from the history texts she had read that the Old Republic had, under the incompetence and corruption of politicians like Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum and countless Galactic Senators, become decadent and weak. As a result, social and economic problems were rampant in the last years of the Republic, resulting in Count Dooku's Separatist Alliance and the Clone Wars. Only the wise leadership of His Imperial Majesty the Great Uniter, then the Supreme Chancellor rather than Galactic Emperor, had enabled the Republic to survive long enough to be reforged into the Empire. The Old Republic was why organizations like the Hutt Cartel came to power, and she knew the New Order was the only chance of taking that power away from scum like them. "I don't want Imperial children to go through what I did, my lord."

Vader nodded. "Honesty is a quality I appreciate, Lieutenant," he said. The Lieutenant Governor of the Outer Rim then turned to Blum. "Though I find you to be a bit harder to trust, Lieutenant Blum."

Shia frowned. "Is there a problem, Count Vader?" he asked.

"You have a criminal record, Lieutenant." The Imperial Count picked up a datapad and handed it to Shia. "You were arrested and convicted for quite a few offenses prior to being admitted to this Academy."

Shia promptly defended himself. "With all due respect, sir," he said, trying to keep his voice level despite what Vader had just done, "the judge offered me an alternative to jail time. And given what happens in juvenile detention facilities, choosing to join the Military was a much better idea."

Chad snorted. _I don't care what this kid says, he's still a street punk who has no business being with any daughter of mine._ "I hear sob stories all the time, Lieutenant Blum," he replied. "But Tarkin decided to make you an officer regardless, so I'm just making it clear to you what I think of you being commissioned and making sure Commandant Tagge and Lieutenant Vandrayk know who you really are."

Before the male cadet could protest, Tagge spoke up. "Count Vader, Cadet Blum may not be the most disciplined individual that has attended this institution," he said, "but he does perform well in the classroom and in field exercises. The judge saw fit to give him a second chance, my lord, and unlike many youths who broke the law like he did, Shia seems to have not squandered the opportunity he has been given. I believe you can count on him."

"Understood, Commandant." Chad handed over a suitcase to Blum, while Raana handed over another suitcase to Vandrayk. "Inside these containers are coveralls, we'll get you two measured for officer uniforms later. Get back to your quarters, change into these, and pack your bags then report back here. If you've got friends, now would be a good time to say good-bye but the fact I'm here along with Baroness Tano here is classified information. Am I clear?"

"Sir, yes, sir," Zadawi and Shia said.

In addition to the light gray coveralls, Zadawi found a pair of black boots and a black cover inside the suitcase. She smiled as she put on the cap-while more comfortable and practical than dress uniforms, most Imperial officers disliked wearing fatigues since they didn't command a presence the same way their distinctive olive gray uniforms did and implied they were dressed for getting down and dirty with their enlisted subordinates instead of directing them.

 _Officers should lead their troops by example,_ Zadawi thought as she packed. _Besides, I've heard rumors that Rebel and Neo-Separatist sharpshooters tend to pick off anyone wearing dress grays and tend to prioritize hitting those with more colorful rank plaques, so standing out could very well mean signing your own death warrant._

After the Arkanian Offshoot had finished packing what little possessions she had, she headed back to the Commandant's office. Zadawi met up with Blum along the way, who looked fairly comfortable in his new coveralls, and the two came upon a pair of teenagers that looked slightly older than them outside the Commandant's office.

"Lieutenants Vandrayk and Blum?" said the boy, who was dressed in what looked like an armored jacket and synth-leather pants.

"Yes?" they both answered, wondering who the two were since they weren't wearing cadet or officer uniforms.

"I'm Sir Galen Marek, this is my sister, Dame Bellona Marek, AKA Bell," Galen explained. "Come with us, Lieutenants. We'll lead you to Count Vader."

Within minutes the four young Imperials were in a turbolift. "Why didn't Count Vader or the Baroness he brought with him stay instead of sending you guys to wait for us?" Shia wondered aloud once the doors had closed.

"Count Vader is Governor Tarkin's second-in-command and Baroness Tano is a high-ranking Imperial herself," Bell pointed out. _C'mon, Blum, you and your buddy just got commissioned as Second Lieutenants-normally at your current rank none of your superiors would really care for your feelings._ "Plus they wanted us to get introduced to each other."

The turbolift doors opened, revealing a _Sentinel_ -class landing craft parked on a rooftop landing pad. "Glad to see you two got our new Lieutenants," Raana said. "Do either of you two know why you were commissioned at such a young age?"

Shia decided to answer, hoping honesty would improve his standing. "I understand we were both selected for our performance as cadets here, Baroness," he said.

Raana gave Blum a predatory smile. "Indeed," she said. "And you have been selected to help fight the self-styled Alliance to Restore the Republic, quite possibly the biggest threat to the Empire since the Declaration of a New Order. Lieutenant Blum, now would be a good time to resign if you don't feel capable of handling what's ahead for both of you."

He shook his head. "I'm not a coward, Baroness Tano," Shia replied. _If a judge thought I could make it as an officer, why can't these guys?_

"I hope not for your sake, Lieutenant Blum." Chad came down the loading ramp, resisting the urge to throw the Lieutenant off the building. Not only would Tarkin chew him out since he had wanted to recruit Blum and had gotten him commissioned in spite of Chad sternly recommending against the move, but Shmi would likely hear about it and become upset with him. For now, he would have to satisfy himself with making sure Blum kept his distance from his youngest daughter and keeping an eye on him. "Now get onboard, all of you. We've got Rebels to hunt."

 ***CUT TO: _KOM'RK_ -CLASS FIGHTER/TRANSPORT APPROACHING STAHL ARMS DEEP SOUTH, HELGHAN***

One of the perks of being the CEO of MandalMotors was having access to a personal shuttle that could take a serious pounding in the time it took to jump to hyperspace if one needed to escape from danger, Stahl reflected as he smoked a cigarettec.

The first Helghast Chairman and CEO of MandalMotors, Stahl was not a self-made man but even his rivals would admit, if only to themselves, that he had risen to his current standing in Mandalorian society thanks to his own actions and merit. After succeeding his father, Khage Stahl, as the head of Stahl Arms, Stahl had succeeded in turning the company his father had founded into the largest single manufacturer of slugthrower weapons in the galaxy, beating even Czerka Arms when it came to sales, to the shock of many both in and outside of the business world. The outbreak of the Clone Wars further strengthened the prestige and financial health of Stahl Arms. Banking on the success he had enjoyed, Stahl had negotiated the merger of Stahl Arms with MandalMotors and was placed in charge of the newly-expanded corporation. The Helghast executive then delighted his shareholders and fellow businesspeople by acquiring both MandalTech and Mandal Hypernautics, which managed to increase profits even further for MandalMotors. Stahl did not own all of the Mandalore sector's military-industrial-complex, but thanks to him MandalMotors was now the uncontested titan of Mandalorian industry, the envy of all the other companies in the Mandalore sector.

 _And now I'm working with COMPNOR,_ Stahl thought. _I guess prisoners are more than just mouths to feed or a menial labor source for the Empire._

"Chairman Stahl," called one of his pilots. "We are now five minutes out from Deep South."

"Understood," Stahl said as he finished his cigarette. "Just make sure to transmit my access codes, I don't want to be delayed."

"Yes, sir."

The rest of the trip proceeded in silence. Stahl's transport was cleared along with Director Isard's _Lambda_ -class shuttle to land, and a minute after receiving clearance their ships landed and extended their landing ramps.

Stahl nodded at the Director of COMPNOR. A man who had served Palpatine since before the Clone Wars, Armand Isard had served as the last Director of Republic Intelligence and had been appointed Director of COMPNOR after the formation of the Empire. One of the most powerful members of the Imperial Royal Court, Isard was both close to the Emperor and he doubtlessly knew where a good percentage of the bodies were buried-a dangerous combination.

Isard nodded back. "I'm impressed by what I see so far, Chairman," he said. "But I trust you want to get everyone inside this new building of yours?"

"Of course, Director," said Stahl. "Just make sure to bring your cargo with you and your entourage, Director Isard, and I'm certain that things will proceed smoothly."

The two groups of Mandalorians and Imperials proceeded inside, where they encountered a security checkpoint. After passing through it, Stahl lead them to a laboratory where a few scientists and technicians had set up shop along with a number of guards.

"Thank you for diverting the prisoners we've received from Kessel's spice mines, Director Isard," said the chief scientist. "Computers are crucial in research, but real test subjects are just as invaluable if not more so."

"Those prisoners were essentially condemned to die anyway, Doctor, if only somewhat more slowly than if they had been sent to Despraye or simply given death sentences," replied Isard. "But I'm glad you appreciate the Empire's generosity."

Stahl smiled. "We here at MandalMotors and Stahl Arms love doing business with the Empire!" he said. "Now it's showtime, ladies and gentlemen! Time to give the good Director what he came here for!"

A single prisoner, a male Nikto arrested for weapons trafficking, was brought into the room by a pair of burly guards. Blindfolded for security purposes, the Nikto was forced up against a wall and seemed to accept the inevitably of death.

Stahl opened one of the crates Isard and his COMPNOR entourage had brought with them. Inside was a prototype T-8 ion disruptor rifle, an improvement on the T-7 that had been banned by the Imperial Senate following the Lasat species being nearly exterminated with them. Isard had stated that the weapons were ready to be mass-produced, but he wanted both a reliable manufacturer from the private sector and to see them tested on living beings first.

"Is everything ready, Doctor?" Stahl asked quietly as he powered up the rifle, making sure to keep the muzzle pointed downwards and keeping his finger outside of the trigger guard.

"Affirmative, Chairman," said the chief scientist. "All recording equipment is online, you may commence with the demonstration."

Stahl smiled and nodded as he flipped off the T-8's safety and aimed it at the Nikto. "Firing!" he said, squeezing the trigger.

A bolt of energy hit the Nikto prisoner right in the back. The Nikto screamed as he died. First his skin was disintegrated, then his muscular tissue, followed by his skeleton. In the end, all that was left of the test subject was ash and his prisoner uniform.

Isard nodded in approval. "That's a successful first test for the T-Eight," he said. "Why don't we have another one, Chairman Stahl?"

"As you wish, Director Isard." _I am so getting this contract..._

 **ME: Longer reviews will be appreciated, ladies and gentlemen. They're more descriptive and tell me more about what you guys think, plus I like looking at them. Thank you to anyone who's ever written a longer than average review for any of my stories.**

 **As you can see, Chad really doesn't like Shia all that much. Trading Bars for Stripes has fallen out of favor with the US Armed Forces (and for good reason, since who really wants to give gangbangers and white supremacists better weapons and training?), though given the Empire's relative incompetence at times they probably have lower recruiting standards. Plus aren't most fathers very overprotective when it comes to their daughters?**

 **It's kind of a cop-out, which I freely admit to, but I got the idea of Stahl using prisoners as test subjects from Ahsokafanboy1138. Same with Shia being a love interest for Shmi with a criminal record. Though Spectre Team probably would have a harder time infiltrating Stahl Arms Deep South than Sev and Rico did, since I doubt Twi'leks are common on Helghan.**

 **I dedicate this to a friend of my mother and myself who's currently hospitalized but whose name I will not publish for the sake of privacy.**


	46. Chapter 46

**ME: Now for me to try and write myself out of a corner. Apologies if this ends up sucking, I wanted to get an update out before the new episode ended up on watchcartoononline, which I still haven't seen as of this moment.**

I understand why the vandalism left in the wake of the Rebels irritates lower-ranking Imperials, Lord Vader. But the artwork of an enemy, be it graffiti or a legitimate painting, can offer insight into their psychological mindset if studied properly. I request that, if nothing else, that all Rebel-created graffiti is recorded before being cleaned away. We need every advantage we can get, my lord, if we are to defeat our enemies and restore order to the galaxy.

 **(Rear Admiral Thrawn, speaking to Lord Darth Vader in private)**

The plan to infiltrate Stahl Arms Deep South was a risky and dangerous one, but Spectre Team reflected that their daily lives were risky and dangerous already as they settled into position.

"Remember, we need at least four, preferably five, clean and intact suits," Lucas reminded the others. "That doesn't preclude mixing-and-matching things, but a piecemeal outfit'll standout more. We're already stretching things by pilfering uniforms, the less suspicious we look, the better."

"Understood, Spectre Ten," replied Hera.

A squad of ten Helghast came patrolling down the street, weapons at the ready. "This is Argus Two-Three Actual to Vigilant, come in," said the squad leader. "Vigilant, do you copy? Over."

"I copy, Sergeant," came the reply of the female Helghast comms operator. "Gimme a sitrep, over."

"Still no signs of the fugitives, Vigilant," the Helghast NCO said. "Repeat, we have not spotted the escaped terrorists. Interrogative: Do you have any additional intel on them, Vigilant? Over."

"Negative, Two-Three. No further information is available at the moment, you will be contacted ASAP should we gain additional details on the targets. Proceed with caution, report all suspicious activity, and stay frosty. Vigilant out."

"Spectre Niner, you have the jammer ready?" asked Lucas.

Diana nodded. "Affirmative," she said, "I've got it ready like you asked, Lieutenant."

"Stand by to activate on my mark," Lucas ordered. "Everyone else ready?"

After the chorus of replies, he set his sights on the Helghast he had identified as the squad's Sergeant. "Firing now," he said, squeezing the trigger.

A single 8.6x70mm round flew through the air and hit the grizzled NCO in the neck, producing a spray of crimson and sending the Helghast to the ground.

"Sniper!" one of the soldiers yelled.

"Contact, con-," yelled a female Corporal before she and the others were knocked off their feet by a Force-push due to the combined efforts of Ezra and Kanan.

"Spectre Four, heads up!" Kanan yelled as he got a grip on one of the Helghast with the Force and sent him flying towards him.

"Got it, thanks!" Zeb replied as he grabbed the Helghast by the neck with both hands and squeezed, crushing the unfortunate Imperial loyalist's windpipe.

Kanan charged at the Helghast. One of them was able to barely get up before the Jedi Colonel tackled her and started to punch her repeatedly. The blows from his cybernetic fists, strengthened by the Force, proved too much and the trooper was knocked out and suffered a skull fracture.

Together, the Spectres was able to neutralize the Helghast without a single casualty. After putting binders on Hera and Zeb and dressing himself in a scavenger suit of HSF armor, Kanan ordered Lucas to contact the Helghast controllers.

"Mayday, Mayday!" Lucas shouted in his best impression of a Helghast accent. "Argus Two-Three to Vigilant, come in! We've secured two fugitives, a Twi'lek and a Lasat, but we're under attack by multiple hostiles! I say again, we are under attack! Our Sergeant is down, repeat, they got the Sarge! We need reinforcements and air support immediately!"

"Understood, Argus Two-Three," replied Vigilant. "We'll divert what we can momentarily, stand by."

"Thanks, Vigilant!" Lucas said. He then switched channels and said, "Get ready, Zeus said he'd trick the JAN into sending goons after us."

"What?!" everyone else asked.

"Why would he do that?!" Hera demanded angrily.

Lucas sighed. "Bastard said he wanted to make it look convincing, ma'am," he answered. "I suppose a bunch of corpses that aren't in HSF armor'll help explain why half a squad got wiped out, plus it'll be more believable than us driving them off on our own."

 ***CUT TO: ISB PLANETARY HEADQUARTERS, PYRRHUS CITY, HELGHAN***

The newly-promoted Captain Rudolf Drelfin had been assigned to Helghan along with his superior, Major Vak Somoril, by order of Deputy Director Oniye Namada, in order to investigate reports of a new anti-Imperial terrorist organization, the Justice Action Network (AKA "the Black Hand of Justice"), establishing a presence on the planet. The local ISB agents had been displeased when the two officers had arrived, but had tolerated the outsiders intervening if only because they had been ordered to and to avoid further trouble.

"Sirs, we've received footage from Vekta City indicating that there was an armed Lasat present at Grand Central Station during the recent terrorist attack," a young ISB officer said.

Somoril frowned. "A Lasat, Lieutenant?"

"Affirmative, Major," answered the Second Lieutenant. "Identification software confirms that the Lasat is the same one that's working with the Rebel cell that used to terrorize Lothal before being running away from Lord Vader. Remarkably enough, reports suggest that the Lasat and his confederates engaged the JAN operatives in combat and killed a number of them before escaping. In fact, apparently survivors of the attack claimed that someone threw grenades into the station's cafeteria in order to disorient the terrorists holding them hostage before our forces launched tear gas grenades and entered the complex."

"So the JAN may not be affiliated with the Lasat vermin and his blaster-wielding cohorts," Drelfin said in a haughty tone, "but the latter remain enemies of His Imperial Majesty's New Order nonetheless. Sedition, treason, theft of Imperial property, unlawful possession of weapons-such crimes mean they may as well shoot themselves rather than waste Imperial time and money."

"Perhaps this Rebel cell simply seeks to gain the trust of ordinary citizens," Somoril thought, frowning at Drelfin. "In a way, such an approach makes them more dangerous than the self-styled Justice Action Network, whose lack of scruples and brutally violent acts will alienate large segments of the population and make generating support for their cause difficult."

Another ISB officer, this one a Captain who looked a year or two older than Drelfin, came up to Somoril with a datapad in hand. "Major Somoril," he said, "the HSF report that one of their squads claims to have captured two insurgents but is under attack."

Somoril frowned. "What are the insurgents' species, Captain?" he asked.

The Captain handed over her datapad. "Apparently a Lasat and a Twi'lek are the insurgents in question, sir," she said.

Drelfin smiled, smelling a promotion and glory. "It seems as though that HSF squad may have found at least two of that cell Lord Vader wants dead, sir," he said to Somoril. He had read a report on the Lothal Rebel cell-apparently a Twi'lek served as the group's pilot, although she was rarely seen outside of their Corellian VCX, and the Lasat served as the team's muscle.

"Indeed, Captain Drelfin," the Major said before grabbing his comlink. "This is Major Somoril, I want a lander prepped for immediate takeoff and two squads to accompany Captain Drelfin and I aboard said lander."

 ***CUT TO: APARTMENT LOBBY, PYRRHUS CITY, HELGHAN***

The leader of the HSF platoon known as Argus Two had wanted to either execute the two aliens held captive by what was left of Argus Two-Three or imprison them so Governor Visari could have them publicly executed, but unfortunately a female superior of his known by the call sign of Vigilant had ordered the Lieutenant to hold his position and await the arrival of a _Sentinel_ -class landing craft so the passengers aboard said shuttle could take the insurgents into custody.

After about six minutes, a _Sentinel_ -class landing craft came into view. Escorted by a pair of V-19 Torrents that belonged to the Helghast Security Force, the shuttle landed on the street and lowered its ramp, two squads of Stormtroopers in gleaming white armor and a pair of officers dressed in what looked like gray-and-black uniforms.

"Lieutenant, I am Major Somoril of the Imperial Security Bureau," said the older of the two officers as the Imperials entered the lobby. "Where are your two prisoners and who in your platoon captured them?"

The Lieutenant gestured at two of his subordinates standing guard at a door. "Major Somoril, Third Squad, call sign Argus Two-Three, captured the Lasat and the Twi'lek. They're inside that room."

One of the two HSF troopers tapped at her helmet and spoke briefly before turning towards her superior. "They're bringing them out now, sir."

One HSF trooper opened the door from inside the room and stepped out, followed by the two aliens and two additional Helghast soldiers.

"Little small for a squad, Lieutenant," commented the younger of the two ISB officers, a man whose rank bars indicated he was a Captain.

The Lieutenant nodded. "The other half of Two-Three got killed by terrorists we had to drive off," he said. "Anyhow, the prisoners are now yours, sir."

"The remainder of your Third Squad will come along with us, Lieutenant," Somoril said. "The rest of your platoon is to continue security patrols and counter-insurgency raids."

The Helghast junior officer frowned. "Why are you taking Third Squad, Major Somoril?"

"So they can be rewarded for their efforts properly by the Security Bureau, now go."

The young Lieutenant didn't appreciate the agent taking away five of his troopers, but orders were orders and he carried them out. After the shuttle took off, he contacted Vigilant and informed her of the developments while he and the rest of Argus Two moved out.

 ***CUT TO: TESTING ROOM, STAHL ARMS DEEP SOUTH, HELGHAN***

"So, we have an infamous Twi'lek Rebel in our midst, gentlemen?" Chairman Stahl said after the black bags were pulled off of Hera and Zeb's heads. "And a Lasat as well? I thought you people went extinct thanks to the Separatists!"

Lucas maintained trigger discipline and was grateful his stolen HSF helmet hid his face, while Zeb growled in disgust and said, "Everyone with half a brain knows your favorite customer was the one who invaded Lasan and murdered the vast majority of the population, you damn Hig!"

Stahl shook his head. "Don't think petty insults will save you now, you dirty little Rebel," he said with a smug smirk.

"Major Somoril, Captain Drelfin, thank you for retrieving these two treacherous insurgents," Director Isard said. "You and your men may now go."

The two ISB officers saluted and left along with their Stormtrooper escorts. Though the twenty soldiers wore what looked to be standard-issue armor, Lucas knew that the ISB had its own troopers that operated outside of the Stormtrooper Corps and were capable of doing anything from raiding remote settlements and massacring dissenters to guarding areas and infiltrating regular units to keep an eye on the Imperial Military.

 _Good thing those bastards are gone,_ Lucas thought as they left. _Taking out twenty Stormies would be nearly impossible..._

"I wanted to personally thank you five for capturing these two little terrorists," Stahl said after turning to Lucas and the other members of Spectre Team in disguise. "So I talked with Director Isard here and got him to let you guys in on the fun."

A Helghast technician wearing a lab coat and respirator, accompanied by a better-dressed man who looked like a scientist, pushed in a repulsorcart with a rifle on top. "Who wants to aim a T-Eight disruptor rifle at the Lasat?" asked Stahl.

Lucas stepped forward. "May I, sir?"

The Chairman of MandalMotors nodded and handed Lucas the rifle. "You have a choice here, ma'am," he said. "Either you tell us how many of you Rebels are on Helghan-no, wait, let's just start with how many of your cell is walking on Helghast soil-or I have your muscleman here disintegrated."

"You won't," Hera said, knowing Lucas wouldn't fire. "You kill my friend and I'm suddenly much less inclined to talk to you or even bother eating."

Isard shook his head. "The Bureau has ways of making Rebels talk, Twi'lek," he said. "Soldier, execute the Lasat. I'm certain the Twi'lek's guilt at failing to prevent her subordinate's death will prove to be excellent psychological fuel for the interrogators to use."

Lucas nodded. "Preparing to fire now, sir," he said, flicking off the safety.

The former ISB agent checked the charge of the weapon, aimed the disruptor at Zeb, put his finger inside the trigger guard...then turned it on the scientist.

"Wha-," the scientist was able to say before Lucas squeezed the trigger, sending a bolt of energy at the man's head. His eyes widened in fear and shock and the scientist tried to escape, but his efforts proved to be too little, too late, and the unfortunate Imperial was reduced to a pile of ash.

Not wanting to die by disruptor, Stahl turned on his heel and fled out of the room, screaming at his guards to, "Kill the fucking Rebels!" However, the other four disguised members of Spectre Team chose to open fire as well, killing the MandalMotors PMCs and Armand Isard's bodyguards.

Isard held his hands in the clear. "Really, Rebels?" he taunted. "Do you really think you can kill the man in charge of COMPNOR and get away with it? I'm blastproof!"

Lucas promptly shot the man in the kneecaps so he wouldn't be able to interfere. "You might want to work on the whole blastproof thing, Director," he noted dryly as Isard screamed in pain and anger.

"Cut the crap, we need to get rid of any disruptors we find then get out of here," Kanan ordered as he took off his helmet and pulled out his lightsaber, which he had smuggled inside, before freeing Hera and Zeb.

The technician cowered in the corner. "Please don't kill me, I have a wife and three kids!" he begged.

"We won't hurt you if you cooperate," Diana said, having removed her helmet. "Now tell us-where are rest of the the disruptors?"

"They're stored near the cargo elevators!" stammered the technican. "The chief researcher, the scientist you disintegrated, said he thought they were ready for mass production! You can't stop them from making T-Eights!"

"Well," Kanan said, "we can at the very least destroy some very expensive prototype weapons. Thanks, I mean it." He then punched the Helghast man in the face, knocking him out.

"You know, I could have simply stunned him," Ezra pointed out.

"I know, but I was in a hurry. Hey, Zeb, grab Isard."

"Wait, why?" Zeb asked, confused. "He's just gonna slow us down and even if we get away the Imps'll just track us, plus they'll likely report this and invalidate any credentials he has."

Kanan: "Yeah, but the Imps will be a lot more reluctant to throw grenades towards us with him around."

The Spectres and their kneecapped prisoner fought their way through the factory. While the guards of Stahl Arms Deep South were ruthless and sadistic, even by Helghast standards, the mercenaries were largely inexperienced when it came to dealing with opponents like Spectre Team. The ISB Stormtroopers proved to be more trouble, but without their thermal detonators they were less of a threat than they'd normally be and were eventually dealt with, even if the Rebels had to work to kill their opponents.

"Kanan, Ezra, crates!" Sabine yelled, pointing at the cargo containers.

Ezra smiled as he sliced into and slashed the crates, doubtlessly ruining any disruptors inside. "For the price of generating a plasma blade, I can destroy what represents millions of credits in research!"

"Nice economics lesson, squirt," Zeb quipped as he fired at a pursuing group of MandalMotors PMCs.

"C'mon, let's try and find a garage!" Kanan ordered as he threw the ruined crates at the mercs. Fortunately they were able to find a garage, which was loaded with combat landspeeders and speeder bikes. Leaving the wounded Isard behind, the Rebel insurgents promptly stole a few vehicles and fled outside.

 ***CUT TO: GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, GOVERNOR'S MANSION, PYRRHUS CITY, HELGHAN***

Planetary Governor Scolar Visari frowned as Lieutenant Governor Orlock and Director-General Anton Saric of the Helghan Security Force sat down. "So we've had a breach of security?" he said in an icy tone.

"Yes, Governor," Orlock answered in a quiet but honest tone. "A group of Rebels stole HSF armor and infiltrated Stahl Arms Deep South. Director Isard has not offered specifics, but judging by how furious Stahl's been in his communiqués, it's probably safe to assume the Rebels were able to inflict a large amount of damage."

"Where are these Rebels now?" asked Visari.

"Unknown, sir," his second-in-command answered. "They boarded a ship and jumped to hyperspace in the upper atmosphere, Governor Visari. Must've been foolhardy enough to disable the safety limits for their ship. The Imperial Starfleet has been alerted and is on the lookout for these terrorists, who apparently were previously involved in inciting insurrection on Lothal."

"Lothal?" That earned a raised eyebrow from Visari. "That backwater?"

Orlock shrugged. "Perhaps they hoped to manipulate the disenchanted bumpkins, sir," he offered.

Visari shook his head. "A single spark can ignite a fire," he muttered before turning to Saric. "General, do you have anything _positive_ to report?"

"The HSF is checking for infiltrators as we speak, my Autarch," the bald Helghast commander answered, using the title Visari possessed when the Helghast were an independent race. "Suits of armor belonging to us, meant to serve the people of Helghan, may have been pilfered and perverted by Rebel scum, but no matter what Stahl does to slander the name of the Helghan Security Force, Governor, we will continue to stand in defense of you and the New Order. Already my troops are making excellent progress against the self-styled Justice Action Network elements in Pyrrhus City."

Visari nodded. "I do not care for the opinion of Stahl, Saric," he replied, "only for his industrial production. I hate that snake, there are probably Vektans more trustworthy than him, but killing him at this point without cause would be counterproductive at best."

 **ME: Hopefully this didn't suck. Drelfin's first name comes from this one Gestapo guy who killed himself with his own hunting rifle on accident after WWII. Apparently the Gestapo were actually rather incompetent according to Ahsokafanboy1138 and Drelfin was an utterly unimpressive Smug Snake compared to Kallus, so I figured what the hell and went for it.**

 **I have an idea-just adapt the last five episodes of Season 2 and conclude this fanfic. That might be for the best due to my lack of creativity. I mean, come on, Rebels is halfway done with its third season and I still haven't finished this fic off and it's been more than a year.**

 **I figured that, even if the Helghast and Vektans have both been part of the Empire and not at war for more than a decade, there would probably still be lingering ethnic tensions, just as how Padme probably was unphased by Anakin confessing to slaughtering Tuskens, including children, due to having likely grown up having racist views on Gungans even if she had helped build bridges with them a decade before. Besides, Visari's a dictator who works for another dictator. Making racially inappropriate comments may as well be jaywalking at this point.**


	47. Chapter 47

**ME: Okay, guys, college has started up again for me, and that'll probably cut into my free time. However, I feel as though things are under control for now, and I may as well give you guys one last run for at least awhile. So here's a Breather Chapter. It probably will be a bit less serious than normal.**

What is this Imperial Planetary Ore Extractor? The taxpayers demand accountability-what is the true nature of this project that has had so many credits taken by force invested in it? What is the justification for it? We will seek the truth-it is up to ordinary citizens to decide how to react once we have revealed it to them.

 **(Question raised by anti-Imperial activists regarding the Death Star project)**

"I just got word from Director Krennic," Chad said to Vader.

"And?" asked the Dark Lord of the Sith.

Chad: "Apparently the project he's working on is secure for once." Shaking his head, the Imperial Count then said, "Now to make sure my youngest is safe from a certain someone..."

Vader frowned behind his faceplate. "You speak of the new Rattataki Lieutenant-Blum, is it?"

Chad nodded. "Yeah, that street punk," he said. "I have no idea why Tarkin would recruit anyone like him. Given his record, I can't see why he'd be trusted with a comm-."

"-given your _own_ past, brother," the black-clad Sith interrupted, "I would suggest not casting judgement on that young officer." A part of Vader still resented Chad greatly for the pain he had caused him and Ahsoka, even if in hindsight driving the Padawan away from the Jedi Order had spared her from Order 66.

Chad raised an eyebrow. "So as a father," he said, trying and failing to keep his voice level, "you seriously expect me to trust him around Shmi?!"

Vader did his best to look his twin in the eye given the difference in height and his concealing headgear. "Serra to this day remains married to you, correct?" he reminded Chad. "Even though she knows what you did as well as both a certain Regional Governor and I do? I'm certain Shmi is capable of deciding if she wants to date Lieutenant Blum, Chad, especially if you approve of her training to become an Inquisitor."

Chad grimaced but held his tongue temporarily. "Very well, brother," he said. "But if he tries to get into her pants or makes her cry, I swear-."

"-you, brother, my sister-in-law, my nephews, and my other niece will all be busy competing for who strikes Blum down, I know. I highly doubt that will be a necessity. Let your daughter be happy, Chad. It is what her namesake wanted for the both of us."

Chad looked away. He had been much less close to their mother than his brother had been, and he named his youngest child in tribute to her.

 ***CUT TO: ARRS _WOOKIEE GUNNER_ ***

"Well, you guys have had your profiles updated by the Empire since your visits to Vekta and Helghan," Ahsoka said in a dry tone as she met with Spectre Team.

"How so, ma'am?" Lucas said professionally.

She tapped at her datapad. "You are now considered the number one threat to Imperial rule in the Mandalore sector," the Jedi General said. "I'm impressed-you think an actual group of Mandalorian rebels or insurgents would be the top anti-Imperial enemy in Mandalorian space."

Diana spoke up. "General Tano, did you call us here with discussing recruiting Mandalorians into the Alliance in mind?" she asked. "That could really help out the cause, ma'am. We could always use genuine allies-the Protectors don't count since we basically blackmailed them."

Ahsoka smiled. "You are correct, Lieutenant," she replied. "The warrior clans on Mandalore are more independently-minded and resistant to the Empire than either the Helghast or the Vektans. One former instructor for the Grand Army, Sergeant Kal Skirata, is a contact of Master Altis's. He set himself up as a host for clone deserters, and apparently had access to a cure for the accelerated aging of the original clones born on Kamino before the Empire developed one. If we want to make any progress on Mandalore, we'll probably have to recruit Skirata into at least becoming an informant."

"From what I've heard, Skirata was no ultranationalist bent on declaring himself _Mand'alor_ and conquering Coruscant," said Sabine, "but he apparently wasn't the biggest fan of the Jedi or the Republic. Even if he hates the Empire's guts, Ahsoka he may see joining up as spilling the blood of _Mando'ade_ for little to no benefit."

"If nothing else, it's common knowledge those living on Mandalore don't have much taste for Death Watch, the loyalists the Empire set up as their lackeys in Mandalorian space," suggested Rex. "Even the industrial types, and those guys at least benefit from weapons contracts and the like. Even if all the locals do is help us kick the Empire and Death Watch off of Mandalore, not only is that one less planet working for the Empire's benefit but it'll be a morale blow as well. Tricky thing'll be not just winning, but keeping Mandalore from being Base Delta Zeroed."

 ***CUT TO: HANGAR BAY, HIMS _STEEL TALON_ ***

Zadawi blinked, unable to believe what she saw before her eyes. "You seriously got me my old shockstaff, Sir Vader?"

Malavai nodded. "Please take it, Lieutenant," he said. "It was wasting away in a storehouse. Fortunately, my mother was able to retrieve it and have your weapon upgraded by a few technicians. Now you will be able to make use of it once more and defend His Imperial Majesty's New Order with your staff."

Zadawi swallowed. "Thank you, my lord," she said, grateful she was able to keep from stuttering.

Malavai smiled as she took the weapon. "Lieutenant Vandrayk," he said, "if there is anyone that should be thanked, it is my mother for looking into the matter. But I will make sure to pass on your gratitude to her."

The young Near-Human woman blushed, it standing out even more thanks to her white skin. But before she could verbally reply to Malavai's statement, an all-too-familiar voice said, "Hey, Vandy! What's up?"

It was Lieutenant Blum, striding in dressed in light gray fatigues.

Zadawi frowned. "Really, Blum?" she snarled. "Is professionalism a foreign concept to you?"

"No, I've studied it," he said casually. "I see you got your fancy shockstaff back, congratulations. Looks real deadly-hey, aren't those things like over three thousand years old?"

"Yes, Lieutenant," the Arkanian Offshoot said, managing to keep her tone lower than she had before. "I actually looked them up once in my spare time."

"Good," said a new voice. Zadawi turned to find Count and Lord Vader, along with a squad of Stormtroopers that undoubtedly were part of the 501st Legion. "Perhaps a demonstration is in order, Lieutenants?"

"Of what, Count Vader?" Shia asked. He had gotten to know Shmi better, but he was wise enough to avoid sounding like a wiseass to her father until he got on his good side.

"Of your close-quarters combat capabilities." The older man got a baton from a Stormtrooper and threw it with the Force, no doubt, to Shia. "I would advise keeping your weapons on a lower power setting, Lieutenants. Now would not be a good time for either of you to be killed."

Shia extended the baton and activated it, an uncertain look on his face. "Sir, this isn't fair," he said. "V-I mean, Lieutenant Vandrayk-has a way better weapon-."

"-life isn't fair," Chad cut him off, "Lieutenant Blum. Besides, I doubt Lieutenant Vandrayk has had time to practice with her staff in a while. Now stop whining and follow a simple order. You're even wearing fatigues, so this should be more comfortable for you. Begin when ready, Lieutenants."

It went about as well as one could expect. While Zadawi had never fought someone with a baton before, Shia had never gone up against anyone with a weapon like hers and was not as proficient when it came to melee weapons aside from vibroblades. Eventually she was able to land a hit on his right arm, making him yelp in pain and drop the baton.

"Enough," Vader said. "Perhaps you need more practice, Lieutenant."

"The feeling will return to your arm in an hour or, Lieutenant Blum," Zadawi said. There was no point in gloating over winning an impromptu training exercise where the odds were stacked against her colleague.

 ***CUT TO: NORTHERN HEMISPHERE, MANDALORE***

"Let's try and take it easy, everyone," Master Altis said in a cautionary tone. "Clan Skirata's paranoia about outsiders may not be welcoming, but there are reasons for why they behave as they do." It had been a difficult task getting past the Imperial defenses around Mandalore, so he did not want to ruin what could possibly be their one chance to gain Mandalorian allies.

"Indeed, Master Altis," said Kanan. "The Empire keeps us weak by dividing us, but we need to approach this situation the right way."

At the designated rendezvous point, they were greeted by one Mandalorian in sand-gold armor and another one wearing a dark red suit of _beskar'gam_.

After speaking quietly with Altis, the golden Mandalorian turned to Spectre Team and inclined his head in Kanan's direction. " _Kandosii_ , _Jetii di'kut_ ," he said.

"Excuse me, sir?" asked the Jedi Colonel.

Altis smiled as best as he could. " _Kandosii_ is a greeting," he said. " _Di'kut_ , well..."

Sabine sighed. "The nicest Basic translation for _di'kut_ is _idiot_ , Kanan."

"Is that true, Master Altis?"

He nodded. "Unfortunately, yes."

The Mandalorian spoke up again. "Your friend's gotta be either brave or stupid to sneak onto Mandalore right now, Master Altis. Hopefully it's the former, but I have to be ready for a case of it being the latter scenario. I need to make sure my clan doesn't get reduced to ash by some Star Destroyer."

Kanan nodded. "Sir, I'll consent to whatever security measures you think are necessary."

Fortunately the mixed group was able to get on their way to Kyrimorut, a bastion and stronghold where Clan Skirata lived, before too long. As they came out of the forests and into view of the lake, Ezra was tackled by a creature.

"AGH!" the Jedi said as the mammal slobbered over him. "Nice boy! Nice-whatever you are!"

"Lord Mirdalan!" a figure in black armor said sharply as the beast was removed from Ezra. "These are not treats, unfortunately for you. These are guests."

It turned out that, in addition to clone deserters, Kal had taken in two former Jedi Knights in their ranks-a woman named Etain Tur-Mukan and a man named Bardan Jusik.

"I'm not keen on rising up, Master Jedi," Kal said to Kanan as diplomacy continued. "I'd like _Manda'yaim_ to be free of the _aruetiise_ and their Death Watch thugs as much as the next Mando, but I'm not willing to get my whole clan wiped out out of idealism. The most I can accept doing right now is supplying you guys what intel we get so you can fight the Empire more effectively and they don't have as many resources on the lookout for us."

"The Alliance wants a free galaxy where beings don't get stomped on without a hint of a fair trial or even due process at all," Kanan said. "Sergeant-may I call you Sergeant, sir?"

"Sergeant's fine, Colonel," Kal said, using the younger man's rank out of respect. "Just don't call me _sir_ , I worked for a living back during the Clone Wars."

"Right. Look, Mandalore stands to benefit from a restored Republic-one better than the old one, mind you-as much as any other world in the galaxy. Even if you want to stay independent, I doubt a free galaxy will be interested in meddling in your affairs."

Ezra stumbled into view with two of the clone members of Clan Skirata following. "E-everyone wants to be a-a M-mando," Ezra slurred out.

"E-even you _Jetiise_!" remarked Mereel.

"Y-your mother is a midi-chlorian!" added Fi.

Kanan sighed. "Ezra, what did I tell you about drinking?" he asked. _Don't be angry, you should only be disappointed,_ Kanan reminded himself mentally.

Kal raised an eyebrow. "Okay, what exactly are midi-chlorians?"

Vau snorted as Ezra tried to drunkenly flirt with Sabine only to fall unconscious before he could succeed. "Just be grateful he wasn't here when a lot of the womenfolk got drunk, Skirata."

Immediately all of Clan Skirata in earshot paled, whether they had helmets on to conceal their reactions or not. "What happened?" asked Sabine.

Kal shook his head. "What happens in the Kyrimorut stays in the Kyrimorut, _ad'ika_." _Etain was embarrassed for days after Darman told her she had asked him for another baby while drunk, though fortunately for both of them he handled it like a man and didn't take advantage of her during that time...besides, what they don't know won't give them nightmares or humiliate us._

 **ME: I hope I accomplished my goal of making this a Breather Chapter, guys. God bless all of you, have a great 2017. I want to finish this fanfic, but even if I can't for whatever reason, let it be known that I enjoyed the journey. You guys are the best.**

 **Ezra being drunk (BTW, do not drink underage, kids-it'll probably just mess up your body) is a reference to 7hot-feanorians's "Everybody Wants to Be A MANDO" artwork on Deviantart. The women of Clan Skirata being drunk is a reference to some jokes I cracked and read in private after watching TFA back in 2015. Oh, and my apologies to 7hot-feanorians for not originally listing her artwork as an inspiration in the author's notes. I forgot and want to give her credit for inspiring Ezra getting drunk.**


	48. The Honorable Ones

**ME: Okay, here's my adaptation of The Honorable Ones. Warning: Kallus has a rather nasty flashback that's italicized if you want to skip over it.**

Any government that won't tolerate criticism is feeble, no matter how many battles it claims to have won.

 **(Princess Leia Organa of House Organa, speaking with her adopted father on the Empire's suppression of dissent)**

 _Ghost_ exited hyperspace in the Geonosis system. Spectre Team had been sent in in order to investigate rumors of Imperial activity in the area.

"Looks like Intel was right," Ezra commented from the nose gun station. "The Empire was definitely constructing something here."

"Yeah, but what?" said Sabine, who was manning the turret. "Things are looking pretty big for a system that got neutered even before Palps turned the Old Republic into the Empire, and judging by the fact we don't have a squadron of TIEs on our _shebse_ right now, looks like they packed up and left. It must have been classified beyond top secret if they built whatever it was they were working on all the way out here instead of using the shipyards at Kuat or Corellia."

Ahsoka, who had chosen to accompany Spectre Team on their investigation, frowned. "I doubt the Empire would just leave Geonosis alone, especially since they manufactured droids, vehicles, and weapons during the Clone Wars. Chopper, scan the planet, something's up."

Chopper complied, only to state that he had detected no life-signs. "What?" Rex asked. "That's impossible, Chopper, rescan. There's gotta be billions of bugs still down there. I once read a report that their warriors mature in six years, surely they've had enough time to repopulate even if the war put a dent in their numbers."

Chopper initiated a second scan, only to once again detect no Geonosians. "Guys, I think they're dead," Ezra suggested.

Ahsoka sighed. "Even before the Empire was established, few in the Republic liked Geonosians. Ezra could very well be right, it's possible the Empire wiped out the entire population after deeming them too much trouble to leave alone."

Kanan grimaced. "Maybe our sensors aren't powerful enough," he said, sounding unconvinced.

Hera landed _Ghost_ in the hangar bay of one of the construction stations. Zeb, Lucas, Beviin, and Buy'ce came down the landing ramp, weapons at the ready. After they had secured the area, Ahsoka, Kanan, Ezra, Sabine, and Diana came down. Rex and Hera stayed behind, the former still recovering from receiving treatment for his accelerated aging, the latter to enable a quick retreat if the situation worsened.

"You know, you can sit this one out, Spectre Niner," Ahsoka said as they headed deeper into the station. "Not much you can do here, after all."

"I could stand to learn something on this op, ma'am," replied Diana. "Plus as much as I hate to admit it, General Tano, Chopper can handle tail gunner duty fine until I get back in my seat."

Zeb aimed his rifle warily throughout the incursion. "My gut tells me this is a trap," he said.

Before any of the Jedi could comment on their own unease, blast doors began to seal, and two masked figures wielding red-bladed lightsabers appeared at the head of a squad of Stormtroopers. Agent Kallus, accompanied by two other ISB agents, stepped into view, depolarizing his visor so his Lasat arch-nemesis could recognize him and become enraged. "How perceptive," he said. "Captain Brek, Lieutenant Visari, deal with the other Rebels. I'll take on the Lasat."

Zeb charged at Kallus, while Ahsoka, Ezra, and Kanan engaged the two Dark Jedi. Ahsoka knew for a fact that the woman she was fighting wasn't a Sith, but she was definitely a skilled warrior and there was something familiar about her in the Force. Clashing blades, Ahsoka then shoved the Dark Side Adept into a bulkhead. Her opponent recovered fairly quickly and revealed her face.

Ahsoka gasped. "Barriss?"

Barriss coldly smiled in response. "Hello, old friend."

Kanan and Ezra were having an easier time with their Dark Jedi, though she was still a dangerous opponent and quite a few of the Stormtroopers were using batons, making things more difficult. Kanan threw a punch and hit the Dark Jedi's respirator, dislodging the mask and revealing her face.

Ezra raised his eyebrows in shock. "Wait, you're a chick?" The fact that the Dark Jedi had been wearing a tactical vest over her tank top had not helped matters.

Mara rolled her eyes, annoyed. "Is that supposed to mean something?" she asked rhetorically before kicking Ezra in the groin.

"Nope," Kanan quipped back before sending her flying with the Force.

Meanwhile Brek and Maya had engaged the rest of Spectre Team. Their use of batons made them difficult to deal with in close-quarters, though Lucas and Sabine were not slouches in CQC, and the former ISB agent actually was able to send his OWL droid after the Stormtroopers while Diana did her best to help out, though being trained Marines rather than pilots, Beviin and Buy'ce proved to be more of a challenge for the Imperials.

Ahsoka: "Now would be a good time to leave!" She then Force-pushed a number of Imperials away.

Lucas sicced his OWL on Barriss as he retreated. However, while the Stormtroopers had been unable to fight effectively against the semi-autonomous drone, Barriss was able to block its blaster fire before destroying it with a single bolt of Force lightning.

"Ma'am, is that woman another Sith?" Lucas quipped as they ran towards the hangar.

"No, but do not underestimate her regardless, Kellan," Ahsoka replied.

Hera spoke up. "Stay away from the hangar for now, Spectre Team," said the Twi'lek Captain. "The Imperials have brought droid walkers along. They won't be able to scratch _Ghost_ , but they'll cut you down and I don't even think Ahsoka could make it past one-no way anyone could deflect that many blaster bolts."

Meanwhile Zeb had decided to get off the station via an escape pod, figuring it would be a better alternative than trying to make it to the hangar. However, just after he initiated the launch sequence, the Lasat SNCO was ambushed by Kallus.

"Your kind never do learn to give up, do they, Lasat?" Kallus snarled as he fought with Zeb while the pod flew away from the construction station.

The Rebel soldier snorted before punching Kallus. "Do Imperials learn to think for themselves?"

Unfortunately for the two combatants, their actions resulted in the pod turning away from Geonosis and instead ended up flying towards one of its fifteen moons. Both Lasat Rebel and Human Imperial survived the crash landing, though Kallus screamed in pain from one of his cybernetic legs suffering damage.

Zeb recovered quickly, sore but uninjured, and aimed his rifle at Kallus. However, he couldn't bring himself to execute an unarmed man, even one he despised very much, so Zeb lowered his weapon before tossing the Imperial agent's bo-rifle out of the escape pod.

"W-what are you doing?!" Kallus screamed in an uncharacteristic tone of voice as Zeb dragged him outside.

"Just thinking about how easy it'd be to crush your head, asshole," snarked Zeb. "But I'd rather you heal so we can finish things off in combat. Besides, I'd much prefer you ending up on trial for war crimes and getting executed so the whole galaxy gets to know just how much of a monster you are, Kallus. But you must think I'm just another big, dumb alien, don't ya?"

"I'm not a Humanocentrist!" Kallus snapped. "I work fine with Near-Humans on a regular basis, Lasat! The only reason I call you by the name of your species is because I literally do not know your name! Besides, Grand Vizier Mas Amedda is a Chagrian, how can the Empire be speciesist if a horned humanoid with blue skin can not only rise to but hold such an exalted position?"

Zeb snorted-Kallus's helmet had fallen off of his head in the crash, and thus he looked more vulnerable than normal, but the ISB officer was still someone he didn't want to turn his back on for a nanosecond. "Maybe your precious Emperor thinks of Amedda as one of the 'good ones.' Anyhow, save your breath for when we get picked up, you're gonna need it. Hell, maybe they'll even let you have an attorney out of fairness."

Kallus chose to laugh at his enemy's ignorance. "You're seriously expecting your Rebel friends to come to your rescue, Lasat? They _fled_. Clearly the Empire is too fearsome for them to consider a pitched battle. If anyone finds us, it'll be the Empire, and _you_ will be the one who ends up in a cell."

Zeb rolled his eyes at Kallus's statement as he started rummaging through the pod for supplies. "Well, _that's_ definitely not gonna happen." He noticed the Imperial officer crawl his way towards his bo-rifle, hampered by his bad leg. Zeb planted his foot on the weapon. "That's not kriffing happening either, Agent Wanker."

"It will be night soon," Kallus warned as Zeb brought out a portable heater, having looked up through the hole their escape pod had made in the ice.

Zeb smirked at Kallus's expense. "Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark, Agent."

"It's not just going to get dark, Rebel." Kallus used that label instead of "Lasat" in an effort to get on his enemy's good side. "It's going to get cold; too cold, in fact, for this heater to be of any real use."

Zeb: "That's funny. From what I've read about Geonosis, this place is supposed to be a desert planet."

Kallus pointed his finger upwards. "What you see in the sky, Rebel, _that_ is Geonosis. We are currently on one of its fifteen moons."

Zeb got back into the pod and was able to find what looked like an emergency transmitter of some kind. When he brought it out, Kallus actually smiled. "That's an emergency beacon!" he said. "It was probably damaged in the crash, but if you can repair it and get it working, there's a chance the Empire will find us! We won't freeze to death down here, Rebel."

Suddenly there was a roar heard in the distance. "Or worse."

Zeb shook his head. "I'll take my chances with the cold or whatever we're sharing this hole with, Kallus. I know what happens to Lasats in Imperial prison, particularly ones who dare to refuse to toe the Imperial line."

Kallus: "That's incorrect. Cooperate and I will ensure that you get a trial."

Zeb snorted before saying, "Yeah, a show trial. If I do end up captured, just shove me in front of a firing squad in the end-your fellow bucketheads could use the target practice."

There was another roar in the distance, this one sounding closer. "Better choose soon, then," said Kallus. "Certain death soon and down here, or possible death later and in a warmer environment."

 ***CUT TO: _PHANTOM_ , APPROACHING _GHOST_ , GEONOSIS SYSTEM***

Ezra sighed as Diana prepared to dock with _Ghost_. "Guys, we need to make another sweep," he said. "For all we know, Zeb's pod happened to land in a remote part of the planet."

"I didn't find him on infrared, and there's no sign of that pod on Geonosis," Diana replied. "But looks like you were right about the Geonosians, Ezra. If I had to guess, it looks like the Imps exterminated the bugs."

" _Ghost_ to _Phantom_ , come in," said Hera. "Any sign of Spectre Four?"

"Negative, _Ghost_ ," Kanan replied, annoying Diana slightly since she was the pilot of _Phantom_. "We scanned all of Geonosis but found no trace of the pod. Additionally, we're getting nothing on any frequencies."

"We had to jump into hyperspace just to get away from those Inquisitors," Ahsoka pointed out over comms. "However, we'll have to move quickly before the Imps find us. Even we can't fend off an entire wing of TIEs.

 ***CUT TO: ESCAPE POD CRASH SITE, BAHRYN***

"There!" Zeb said, smiling at what he had accomplished. "Not only did I fix the beacon, Kallus, but I adjusted the transmitter. Now everyone, including my friends, has a chance to find us."

"S-so?" replied Kallus, shivering. He really wanted to retrieve his helmet, but that would mean going into the pod and turning his back on his arch-nemesis, and that was a risk he couldn't take. "Even if you don't die today, Rebel, I guarantee that the Empire will win. Every day more informants are recruited to serve His Imperial Majesty. Every day we persuade more Rebel sympathizers to turn their backs on your brand of Neo-Separatism and instead pledge allegiance to the New Order."

Zeb resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "We aren't Separatists, Agent-don't give me that look, you never gave me a first name and you always call me 'Lasat' anyway. The Alliance doesn't seek the secession of individual star systems, we're gonna topple your precious New Order instead so no one has to have your boot on their neck. Think we can't win? Because every day more beings get fed up with the Empire and join us, so your Great Uniter doesn't live up to his nickname anymore."

Before Kallus could rebut Zeb for his unflattering comment on Palpatine, the portable heater ceased functioning.

"Power cell must be frozen," the ISB agent said, resisting the urge to grit his teeth. "Looks like we'll be next."

Unwilling to die, Zeb looked over his shoulder and saw a light. Grabbing Kallus's rifle to avoid being shot in the back, he then headed over to investigate.

"What?" Kallus stammered, wishing his helmet had not been knocked off in the crash. "Where are you going? What are you doing over there?"

Fortunately for him, the Lasat returned with something in his hand. "What did you find?" Kallus asked him. "What is that?"

"I don't know," Zeb answered truthfully, "but it's warm and it gives off light, so I'm not complaining about not having a name for it."

Kallus: "It must be some kind of meteorite."

"Here," said Zeb as he tossed it to his Imperial adversary, strangely feeling a sense of pity for the man. "Warm yourself up."

Kallus was initially left speechless at his enemy's kindness, but was able to utter a, "Thank you," out of genuine gratitude before he and Zeb heard another roar.

"We need to get out of here," Kallus said. "Our only source of heat is this small rock, and whatever is in these caves will probably try to make a meal out of both us. We don't get moving now, we're dead."

Zeb shook his head. "You're so quick to give up hope, Kallus. I told you, I got the emergency beacon working. My friends will find us and then you can have a nice, cozy stay in a brig while the brass on my side try to figure out what to do with you."

"You don't understand, the ice is likely keeping the beacon's signal from getting out," Kallus pointed out. "More importantly, even if that isn't true and it turns out the local fauna are harmless, there's a good chance we'll freeze to death down here. So we need to get my helmet and whatever we can scavenge from the pod and get moving."

Zeb nodded. "Fine, I'll get you your fancy helmet. Why do you even want that, anyway? It's not like you'd be unable to get a new one."

"I'm losing heat through my head. If I die and the Empire shows up first, then you stand a good chance of getting shot to death without trial. But if I'm alive, I can protect you from such a fate."

 _Or be denounced as a traitor and shot by your Stormie goons,_ Zeb thought, but he figured letting Kallus think that he could take him into custody was the best option. After all, it beat Kallus thinking he couldn't let him live and deciding to execute Zeb rather than take any chances.

"Alright," he said, walking towards the pod. "Stand by, I'll find your precious bucket."

"You do realize Mandalorian helmets hide a wearer's individual features like a Stormtrooper one does, right?" Kallus stated. "Your Mandalorian ally may be fond of deriding us Imperials as 'bucketheads' repeatedly, but she wears her helmet all the time and it looks more like a bucket than a Stormtrooper's."

Zeb shrugged as he tossed Kallus's helmet towards him. "Okay, you got me there." The Rebel Sergeant Major then dragged out a backpack loaded with water and ration bars. "Stay here, Kallus, I'm gonna try and climb up."

Sticking Kallus's rifle into the ice wall, Zeb then began to climb up said wall. While normally Lasat were good at climbing, the fact that the wall was made of ice and the resulting lack of traction ensured that Zeb fell down.

"You're going to hurt yourself," Kallus pointed out, his voice echoing slightly.

Zeb growled. "Will you just shut up?" He then tried climbing up the wall again, only to fail even more spectacularly.

Kallus actually ended up laughing, amused by the Lasat's stubborn attitude. "How'd you like a few more broken bones, Kallus?" Zeb snarled, irritated at the Imperial agent.

Suddenly, Zeb heard more roaring. He turned around to see a four-legged beast with white fur.

"Oh, _karabast_!" Zeb cursed as he retreated. "Just when I thought this day couldn't get any worse!"

Zeb initially tried to fight off the beast, but the damn thing was resistant to blasterfire and eventually the SNCO was forced to retreat into the pod. Kallus, while at first conflicted on whether or not to take advantage of Zeb being distracted to either kill him or use him as bait to distract the monster, opened fire on the beast, drawing the creature's attention. When Zeb peeked his head out of the escape pod, he was shocked to find Kallus firing on the beast to draw its attention away from him. Knowing Kallus would not last long with his broken leg and feeling grateful for the COMPNOR officer sticking out his neck for him, Zeb roared and joined Kallus in firing on the beast. Thanks to their combined efforts, the massive animal ended up retreating.

"Son of a motherkarker!" said Zeb. "What the hell was that thing?"

"I honestly have no idea," Kallus said, "but it probably will be back. I don't think our shots even scratched the damn thing."

"Yeah, and hopefully it doesn't have friends," Zeb commented as they turned back towards the pod. "Otherwise we'll have more of the bastards to deal with, and one was bad enough."

"That is the order of things," remarked Kallus as he sat down outside the pod. "The strong survive while the weak perish."

Zeb growled, his anger rekindled at what Kallus had said. "Is that what happened to the Geonosians, Kallus? They were weak and needed to perish for the sake of some survival-of-the-fittest mindset?!"

Kallus frowned at Zeb's outburst. "All I know about Geonosis's current status is that it apparently is now uninhabited and no longer exports anything. Which is good for the galaxy-with Geonosis now even more of an isolated backwater than Tatooine, it means that they aren't supplying the black market with weapons and battle droids. I know you're old enough to remember the Clone Wars-can you imagine, for example, what would happen if Black Sun had a Geonosian factory manufacturing tanks for them? They'd be able to topple local governments and stretch the Empire's resources even further."

"If you guys are stretched thin trying to deal with us Rebels, then you deserve to lose," Zeb snarked. "Personally, I always wondered why the droid army just shutdown at the end of the war. Now I'm wondering how you guys dealt with a planet of billions. Was it disruptors? Nerve gas?"

"I've never set foot on Geonosis, if that's what you're asking," Kallus replied. "I never saw a reason to ask questions."

"Oh yeah? Well maybe you should start. Or are you afraid of getting answers that'll show your precious Empire in an unflattering light? Afraid you'll learn Palps decided to exterminate an entire species, just like he did with my people?"

Kallus shook his head. "What motivation could the Great Uniter have for having the Geonosians wiped out? What could possibly be gained? Though I wouldn't put a holovid up claiming that the Geonosians are extinct and it's the Empire's fault if I were you. You'd just to be disappointed to see that no one cared about the Geonosians. If it turns out that they are all gone, then if anything the masses would celebrate."

Kallus paused to take a breath, grateful his helmet provided at least some insulation for his head, then chose to switch topics. "Anyhow, we now have a different problem. We need to get out of here. You may be uninjured, but you'll never get out of here without my help."

Zeb snorted then said, "How exactly can you help me, Kallus? You can't even help yourself out of here with a bad leg."

Kallus looked him in the eye as best as he could. "I can tell you exactly how to climb up towards the surface. Besides, I'm more useful to you alive, remember?"

Zeb: "Alright, fine, we'll work together." He then examined Kallus's bo-rifle, a J-19 model Zeb wasn't as familiar with. He complimented Kallus on his impressive modifications but reminded him that he shouldn't have taken the weapon as a trophy while securing it with bandaging to the agent's broken leg so the rifle could serve as an improvised splint.

"I didn't take the rifle as a trophy, but out of respect," Kallus said, leading to Zeb's eyes widening. "I faced a Guardsman on Lasan, he fought well and died with honor. Before he passed away, he gave me his weapon-I'll-."

"-the _Boosahn Keeraw_ ," Zeb said in realization.

"Wait, what?"

"The _Boosahn Keeraw_ is a tradition of Lasat warriors. When a Lasat is bested in battle by a superior opponent, he offers his weapon to his foe as a gift in acknowledgement of his victory."

"I was-I was only doing my duty," Kallus elaborated further, stunned. "I wasn't the one who gave the order to use the disruptors."

"You were lying?" asked Zeb, raising his voice slightly.

"I didn't have the authority to order something like that, never did. In addition to my own past, the reason I taunted you when trying to retrieve the T-Sevens was because I hoped to psychologically unbalance you in order to achieve victory. I succeeded, only to be knocked away by one of your Jedi comrades. I didn't want it to be personal."

Zeb frowned. "Yeah, but that doesn't change the fact that most of Lasan's population got wiped out by the Empire. I don't care what was the rationale for that or who gave Imperial troops clearance to exterminate a planet, that will still be something I will never forgive or forget."

Kallus nodded as if emphasizing with Zeb. "We all have things we don't forget. I used to be a policeman on Imperial Center back when it was still Coruscant. Because of my performance, skills, and loyalty to the ideals of the New Order, after the establishment of the Empire I was recruited into the Security Bureau. My first assignment as an ISB officer was to work with a Stormtrooper company on Onderon. We were deployed there to bring peace and security to a troubled world. One day I was with those boys and girls-some of them being clones fresh out of their tanks or recruits barely out of training-when we ran into a group of Rebel friends of yours, a collection of insurgents that call themselves the Partisans. I'll never forget what happened that day."

 _Kallus awoke, the sheer pain he was experiencing making him grunt in discomfort. The new ISB Lieutenant, his black and gray tunic drenched in sweat, was relieved to find that he wasn't bleeding, but he could barely move. A few troopers who had been closer to the explosion hadn't been nearly as lucky._

 _"Hold on, sir," said a Stormtrooper medic as she and another Stormtrooper approached him. "We'll get you to safety."_

 _"Where's the Captain?" Kallus asked, grunting in pain as they dragged him away. "Where is he?"_

 _"Dead, sir," answered the other trooper as they stopped. "Mortar round got him. Don't worry, we'll-."_

 _He was cut off as the medic was shot in the chest, the particle bolt scorching her breastplate. As she went down, her comrade tried to bring his rifle to bear only to be take a round to the neck. Kallus winced as the last sound the young soldier would ever make was a gurgle of pain_

 _An enemy combatant dressed in a tactical vest and camouflage fatigues approached. Kallus took in his opponent, wishing he could at least pull out his sidearm and shoot him. The Partisan was as tall and muscular as Wookiee, only he was clearly of a different species._

 _The insurgent smiled. "So you're Imperial Security, then?" he asked._

 _"Yes," Kallus said. "Surrender and I will ensure that you will be treated fairly."_

 _The Partisan shook his head before prodding the downed medic. She grunted in pain._

 _"Wait, wha-."_

 _Suddenly the rebel raised his right foot and stomped on the medic's neck, crushing her windpipe._

 _Kallus gasped in shock and anger as the Stormtrooper died in agony. "You monster!" he yelled. "She was a medic!"_

 _"She was just a Stormie," his enemy replied, turning his rifle on Kallus. "You, on the other hand, are part of COMPNOR. As a lackey of the Emperor, my boss wants you to send a message, so you get to live."_

 _Kallus tried to keep his voice calm as he said, "What is it?"_

 _"The Partisans will never stop fighting the Empire and will do whatever it takes to destroy it."_

 _Suddenly the anti-Imperial combatant aimed his rifle at Kallus's right knee and fired. Kallus screamed, the wound making him feel like his leg was on fire. Then the rifle was pointed at his left knee._

 _"No, wait! Please-."_

 _The Partisan smiled as he squeezed the trigger of his blaster, Kallus's renewed screams of pain pleasing him. "I love my job."_

 _The guerrilla fighter went on to help his comrades eliminate the rest of the surviving Stormtroopers, even the ones that tried to surrender or were incapacitated and thus unable to pose a threat. As Kallus fell unconscious towards the end of the slaughter, he could hear the screams and pleading of a young woman whose voice he recognized as that of an eager recruit he had met._

Zeb was horrified by Kallus's recount of the flashback. _Good grief, that asshole makes Trandoshans look like Caamasi diplomats,_ he thought. But he knew that the Partisans were pariahs for the Alliance due to their ruthlessness and willingness to disregard civilian casualties. "Sorry about what that bastard did, Kallus," he said. "But that doesn't mean you get to judge all Lasats and Rebels as just like him and the Partisans."

"Does that sentiment also imply to Imperials?" Kallus shot back. "Also, while your cell may have avoided civilian casualties, none of you wore uniforms or even armbands or something similar during your time on Lothal. That alone means you and your friends qualify as unlawful combatants."

"Hey, at least my Mandalorian friend wears a helmet, so there's that," Zeb said. "Plus all the Imperials I know have been willing enforcers of Palps's brand of fascism. If any of them were conscripted, then their deaths are the Empire's fault, not the Alliance's."

Kallus extended his hand, feeling as though it would be a waste of precious time to try and win over the Lasat. "I'll take that for you," he said, referring to Zeb's bo-rifle. "For the climb, I mean."

Unwilling to trust Kallus with his rifle, Zeb threw it up through the hole before throwing up the meteorite, emergency beacon, and the backpack he had loaded with survival supplies. "There, now you won't have to carry anything," Zeb snarked. He was tempted to order Kallus to remove his armor plates, but he doubted the ISB agent would acquiesce and the lessened weight would probably be negligible. "Now get on."

"Don't climb up the walls," Kallus said as he got on Zeb's back. "Go up the pillars, I say again, climb the pillars instead."

"What?!" Zeb asked. "Those pillars would never hold my weight, yet alone yours added into the mix!"

"They've kept the surface from caving in and falling down, so yes, they can hold our combined weight," Kallus explained. "It's a logical conclusion."

There was a growl in the distance, undoubtedly the beast from before coming back. "If this doesn't work, Kallus, I'm using you as bait so I can run from that thing or at least making sure it eats you first."

"Fair enough."

Zeb made it to a pillar and began climbing up, doing so more carefully compared to before since Kallus's added weight meant a mistake was now far more likely to result in a fall.

The beast that they had driven off came into view along with another one of its kind.

"Son of a bitch, there's two of them now!" yelled Kallus.

"Oh, _karabast_ ," Zeb cursed.

" _Karabast_ , _karabast_? What in the name of the Emperor does that even mean?!"

Zeb sighed. "Right now, it means you're a lot heavier than ya look!"

One of the creatures bit at Kallus, who eventually lost his grip on Zeb. Managing to grab the normally professional but now panicking Imperial with his foot by Kallus's right leg, Zeb switched his adversary's rifle to electrostaff mode and threw him up towards the ice cave's ceiling.

"Hang on!" Zeb told Kallus before he let go of the pillar and landed on top of one of the beasts. He then jumped and landed on top of the other creature, getting below Kallus just in time to catch him.

"Have a safe flight," he said before throwing the COMPNOR agent through the hole. Zeb then leaped towards the hole himself, managing to get a solid grip on the edge with his hands. Zeb then began to climb up, only to see Kallus aiming his rifle at him.

"Oh, _karabast_ ," Zeb muttered. _At least he'll have no choice but to shoot me in the he-._

Kallus then adjusted his aim and shot one of the beasts, fatally wounding the creature. To say Zeb was shocked that the very, _very_ loyal Imperial agent had passed up a perfect opportunity to kill a Rebel he knew to be a skilled combatant was an understatement.

Kallus then extended his hand and did his best to help Zeb out of the hole. "We'll need to find shelter," Kallus said, as though he was speaking to a fellow Imperial rather than an enemy who had become an ally out of mutual necessity. "It's a lot colder up here."

"I know," Zeb said, "but first I'm gonna need that back."

The two were able to find a relative place of refuge from the cold together, which helped the meteorite keep them in at least a survivable state. Eventually, they fell asleep together, only to wake up in the morning after the storm had stopped and reacted in comedic disgust to being in such close proximity.

Kallus's helmet was able to pick up the sound of ion engines. "That's a ship," he said.

"Yeah," Zeb replied, "but whose side are they on?"

It turned out to be a VCX freighter coming in to land that could only be _Ghost_. "Looks like you were right," Kallus said, sounded more stunned than anything else. "Your friends did find you, Rebel."

Zeb was about to reprimand Kallus for calling him that, but thought better of it and realized the Imperial could very well simply not know his name. "Hey, my name's Zeb, by the way," he said. "Zeb Orrelios."

"Zeb is short for Garazeb, right?"

Zeb nodded. "Indeed, I'm surprised you knew that it's a nickname."

"I've done research on Lasats, especially in light of you being a frequent opponent of mine. And my first name is David."

Zeb: "I honestly thought it was 'Agent' at one point."

Kallus actually laughed at that. "I guess I'm just not a very personable man."

Zeb gestured towards _Ghost_. "You can come with us, Kallus. I'll make sure the Alliance treats you fairly."

Kallus shook his head. "No, I think I'll take my chances with the Empire, Zeb. I'm a high-ranking officer of the Security Bureau, so they'll have to rescue me. Besides, I got a backpack's worth of water and food."

"Ration bars don't count as food, but hey, I respect your decision. Good luck, David."

Zeb then ran towards _Ghost_ , the landing ramp extending to allow Sabine, Ezra, Kanan, and Hera to disembark.

"Zeb, there you are!" Ezra said.

Sabine laughed in relief and said, "We missed ya, ya big lug!"

Hera smiled. "I told you guys we'd find him. Are you hurt, Zeb?"

"Naw, I'm fine," Zeb answered. Honoring Kallus's wishes to be retrieved by the Empire, he declined to tell them about him. Sure, it wasn't exactly the logical choice, but it would have been wrong to betray the agent's trust after he had chosen to save Zeb rather than kill him or leave him to be eaten alive. "Thanks for coming here, everybody. Now let's get out of here before some ImpStar decides to use us for target practice."

 _Ghost_ lifted off and headed for space, her crew powering up her hyperdrive and calculating a route out of the Geonosis system with the nav computer. An Imperial Star Destroyer dropped out of hyperspace and launched TIE Interceptors, but two minutes after that the Rebel freighter jumped to hyperspace.

 ***CUT TO: SURFACE OF BAHRYN***

Kallus kept his helmet off as he drank from a canteen. _If I am going to die today,_ he thought, _I'll do so having at least quenched my thirst._

To the surprise of the ISB agent, a _Sentinel_ -class landing craft came into view. Thanking the Force for the first time in his life, Kallus stood up and grunted in pain, but it was worth it in order to fire off a signal flare.

The shuttle landed, and another Bureau officer wearing a red cloak-Maya, he realized-charged out with multiple Dark Troopers following her.

"Lieutenant Visari!" he yelled. "Is that you?"

"Affirmative, sir!" his junior aide said. "I knew you had to be alive!"

"Analysis," said the sole Phase II model amongst the Dark Troopers. _HK-047,_ Kallus thought. "It appears that General Kallus's left leg has suffered damage. I recommend, sir, that we get you onboard the lander and get it fixed aboard _Devastator_."

"That sounds like a good idea, Lieutenant Four-Seven," he said. "I want to thank you all for coming to look for me, words cannot convey my gratitude."

"I feel you would have done the same for me, General," Maya said as she and HK-047 helped him onboard the shuttle.

As promised, Kallus was brought onboard the Star Destroyer _Devastator_ and got his leg fixed. However, apart from Maya-for some reason, he couldn't help but think of the young Lieutenant by her first name now-none of his subordinates seemed particularly happy to see him alive and well. Captain Brek seemed respectful yet indifferent, while Radec congratulated him on his survival but didn't seem to be relieved as a friend or even colleague.

Seeing Lady Offee after having breakfast the day after his retrieval, Kallus made a beeline for the Mirialan Inquisitor. "How do you do, my lady?" he asked.

Lady Offee looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "You survived, Agent Kallus?"

"Affirmative, Lady Offee," he said. "You didn't hear about it, ma'am?"

"I have been focused on dealing with the Rebels, General Kallus," she said in a cool tone. "Retrieval of Imperial personnel falls below that on my priority list. It is good that you did not die ignobly, but we both have a New Order to defend. Now if you excuse me, I have business to attend to."

Hurt, Kallus stared after Offee as she walked away. He hadn't worked with her too often, but surely she had recognized that he was a dedicated and competent servant of His Imperial Majesty, right?

The Imperial agent thought of the meteorite from the Geonosian moon. It had been left behind, for Maya had personally retrieved his helmet for him but Kallus had not seen any point in ordering her to retrieve the rock. Now he regretted not trying to bring it with him. It seemed frivolous to think that way, but Kallus now desperately wanted a reminder of the time that he had felt more connected with, of all people, a Rebel insurgent rather than most of his fellow Imperials.

 **ME: I didn't namedrop Saw, who somehow manages to be even more unlikeable than Ketsu at times, because I do wonder about what to do with him. As my good friend Ahsokafanboy1138 pointed out, Steela's death was even stupider than Denal's, which is saying something. Speaking of Saw, I wonder if he and his Partisans had any links to Berch Teller from the Tarkin novel. Both Saw and Teller are anti-Imperial Rebel leaders who are more ruthless than the Alliance, after all.**

 **Kallus's statement regarding Spectre Team not having armbands or anything is a case of Villain Has a Point since they operate incognito most of the time, though to be fair the Empire would probably have them shoved up against a wall and shot or sent to Kessel anyway, plus unlike many real-life insurgents and terrorists they tend to avoid civilian casualties...unless you count the Mining Guild refinery being blown to pieces.**

 **I used Mara and Barriss because I hadn't used them in a while or very much. I originally planned to make use of the Altisian Jedi as well as Bardan and Etain plus the crew of _Serenity_ , but that would have just complicated things. Plus one team should be sufficient for recon.**

 **I admit that I didn't really change too much compared to The Honorable Ones, sorry about that.**


	49. Shroud of Darkness

**ME: Still no idea on whether or not I should include Maul. Anyhow, back to the story. Hopefully this update won't suck. Haven't seen the latest episode since no one's posted it on watchcartoononline yet.**

By now the Jedi must always be looking out for the Inquisition. They expect them, but they do not expect the Emperor's Shadow Guard.

 **(Private journal of Grand Master Sa Cuis of the Imperial Shadow Guard)**

Now that the Alliance had learned that the Empire had largely withdrawn from the Geonosis system and that the planet had gone dark, the search for a new base for Phoenix Fleet had once again become the focus of Spectre Team. As such, Kanan, Ezra, and Chopper went out along with Ahsoka and the crew of _Serenity_ to evaluation potential base worlds.

Unfortunately for the Rebels, four Imperial Shadow Guards and a unit of Stormtroopers wearing red armor decided to attack them on the mountainous world of Oosalon.

"Hey, Kanan?" Ezra said as they fell back. "I think we can cross this rock off the list."

 _Yeah,_ Kanan thought as he blocked a blow from one of his opponents, _since the whole point of a secret base is your enemy not knowing about it!_ But he didn't want to blab to the Imperials about the search for a potential base for Phoenix Fleet, so he kept his mouth shut.

"Good thing Lord Vader chopped off an arm instead of ruining your face," said one of his opponents as they locked blades. Given the Shadow Guard's voice and physical features, he guessed his opponent was a woman even though the Shadow Guards wore face-concealing black helmets. "You're actually quite good looking, Padawan Dume."

"First off, it's Kanan Jarrus now!" Kanan yelled as he kicked the Shadow Guard in the chest, his Force-enhanced blow sending her stumbling back. "Second off, I don't go for crazy! Well, not anymore..."

Despite their best efforts, the Jedi were on the verge of losing. Sure, the four Shadow Guards weren't as skilled as Vader or even the Pau'an Inquisitor that had haunted them months before, but they had a two-to-one advantage over Kanan and Ezra, plus their Royal Guard comrades were keeping Mal, Zoe, and Jayne occupied.

"Where the hell is Chopper?!" Ezra snapped as he fired on two Shadow Guards in a desperate attempt to stop them. "I called him literally five minutes ago!"

Both Padawan and instructor found themselves at the edge of a cliff. "Give up, Jedi," said the lead Shadow Guard, a tall, muscular man. "There is no chance that you will emerge victorious."

Suddenly Kanan felt a hint of a welcome presence in the Force and he heard two familiar engines. "On our own, yeah," Kanan said. "But with backup..."

 _Phantom_ appeared and began to strafe the Royal Guardsmen, killing anyone unluckily enough to be hit by her twin cannons. Within seconds all of the red-armored soldiers had been wiped out.

"Kanan, Ezra, get down!" Ahsoka ordered via comms as _Phantom_ charged towards them and the Shadow Guards.

Ezra and Kanan complied, not wanting to get hit by a speeding _Phantom_. The lead Shadow Guard and the woman who had taunted Kanan got themselves clear, while one of the two other Shadow Guards shoved the fourth one out of the way. That proved to be his undoing, for _Phantom_ rammed into the Guardsman and sent him flying off the cliff. If the impact hadn't killed him, the fall most certainly would.

Ahsoka exited the starfighter, igniting her white lightsaber blades. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way," she said. "The easy way is that you all throw down your weapons and surrender. The hard way is you keep fighting and all get killed. What will it be?"

In response, the three surviving Shadow Guardsmen all charged at her.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes at the actions of the Imperial Dark Jedi. "Don't say I didn't warn you people," she muttered before their blades clashed.

The youngest of the trio, a Shadow Guard Padawan, roared as she hacked at Ahsoka. The young Dark Side Adept was unambitious, unlike her two superiors, but she had been friends with her deceased comrade and wanted to avenge him.

Ahsoka leaped back. The bulkiest of the Shadow Guards charged at her on his own, only to be sent stumbling into a heap. She then locked blades with the Shadow Guard Padawan before slicing off one of the Padawan's hands. Her opponent shrieked in pain and dropped her lightsaber as Ahsoka sent a Force-strengthened kick to the groin, sending the young Dark Jedi to her knees.

The female Shadow Guard shook her head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk," she said, "it's just impossible to get good students these days, isn't it?"

Ahsoka kept silent as she blocked the Shadow Guard's attacks. The bulky one tried to join the fight and aid his comrade, only to be intercepted by Kanan and Ezra. Drawing on the Force to strengthen herself, Ahsoka launched a series of strikes that put her opponent on the defensive and forced her to retreat. While a lightsaber pike was useful at keeping opponents at a distance due to the longer reach, they were less effective in one-on-one situations or if said opponents got too close.

After an intense fight, Ahsoka forced the weapon of her opponent upwards with one of her lightsabers then bisected her at the waist with the second. The Shadow Guard screamed in pain as she was cut in half. As if wanting to make absolutely sure her opponent was dead, Ahsoka then stabbed her in the chest with both of her lightsabers.

 _Rule Number One,_ Ahsoka thought to herself. _Always make sure they're dead._

Meanwhile Kanan and Ezra were having a slightly easier time with the last Shadow Guard. While they now had a numerical advantage, the Shadow Guard was still a difficult opponent. If anything, the tall and muscular Dark Jedi was fighting even harder than before since he was now all alone.

"Please, surrender," said Kanan, hoping to end things peacefully. "I know the dark side has power over you, but you don't have to die because of it. We'll treat you fairly, we can help you."

The Shadow Guard snorted behind his helmet. "I won't become a prisoner, Jedi," he sneered. "The Force shall-."

Suddenly a white blade of plasma emerged from the Guardsman's chest. It was the result of Ahsoka throwing one of her lightsabers at the Dark Jedi's back. The Guardsman screamed in pain from both the stab wound and the burning of his insides as he died.

Ahsoka withdrew her saber, watching from a distance as the black-armored corpse collapsed. She didn't enjoy killing people, but the Shadow Guards had all spurned the chance to surrender she had extended to them. As such, she didn't regret using lethal force to end their lives.

The last surviving Imperial glowered, clutching her cauterized stump, as Ahsoka seized a grip on the Shadow Guard's helmet with the Force and yanked it away. To the surprise of Kanan and Ezra, she looked barely older than Sabine.

"Now would be a good time to start talking," Ahsoka said bluntly. "I got a painkiller here, kid. You give me intel on your bosses-stuff that's true, of course-and it's all yours."

The Dark Jedi Padawan, in response, spat on the ground. "I refuse to betray His Imperial Majesty and my fellow Guards," she snarled. "You are a dead woman, Jedi. I am but one of the Emperor's instruments. He has more than just the Royal Guard and the Inquisitors, He has personal agents, bounty hunters, intelligence officers. You may as well jump off this cliff right now, because your attempts to stay alive merely delay the inevitable!"

The young woman then drew a blaster and aimed it at Ahsoka, only for a bullet to perforate her forehead before she could get a shot off.

"Well, _darn_ ," Mal said as he lowered his rifle. "I think Palps is mad at us, General Tano."

Ahsoka sighed. "Tell me something I don't know, Captain Reynolds." While taking Dark Jedi captive would be problematic at best, now there was no chance to get any information out of the Shadow Guard. "Alright, let's scavenge what we can and get out of here."

Jayne picked up the Shadow Guard's helmet. "Hey, General," he said, "how much do you think this'll fetch on the black market?"

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF HIMS _STEEL TALON_ ***

"Lieutenant," Serra asked the young officer at the navigation station, "how long until we reach our destination?"

The Lieutenant tapped at her screen and said, "Approximately forty-five minutes, Countess Vader."

"Good," she replied. Serra then turned to the Captain and said, "I'll be down in the hangar, Captain."

"Of course, my lady. I will notify you when we have dropped out of hyperspace."

Serra left the bridge then met up with her husband and children in the hangar. The doors were closed due to _Steel Talon_ traveling through hyperspace, though she didn't miss the view.

"So what exactly are we heading out to the middle of nowhere for, Mom?" Asher asked.

Serra shook her head. "It's the Shadow Guard," she said. "They've recently stepped up their efforts on taking out the Jedi Rebels, and a team of four plus a bunch of Royal Guardsmen dropped out of contact after being sent to Oosalon. Normally your father and I would prefer to stay clear of the Shadow Guard's nonsense, but both the Grand Inquisitor and Governor Tarkin don't want any possible incompetence on the Shadow Guard's part covered up by them."

Malavai: "What if we run into investigating Shadow Guardsmen on Oosalon, Mother?"

"Stay on guard, but I don't think we'll get any trouble from them. I am the second-in-command of the Inquisition and your father is the Lieutenant Governor of the Outer Rim in addition to being your uncle's brother. While us being attacked is a possibility, it would be a foolish mistake on the part of even the Shadow Guard."

The Vaders opted to pass the time by sparring and practicing the use of their Force powers. As the six worked themselves into a sweat, _Steel Talon_ finally dropped out of hyperspace.

As soon as the hangar bay doors had finished opening, the Imperial Dark Side Adepts had boarded a _Sentinel_ -class landing craft. Already onboard were a platoon of CompForce soldiers led by Lieutenant Paige Lynch, who had become an officer thanks to the efforts of Chad. Unlike most of the 105th Division, Chad felt like he could give Lynch's platoon a chance. She had handpicked the soldiers from the rest of the division, putting a particular emphasis on both combat experience and personal ethics. While the troopers remained quite fanatical by the standards of the Imperial Military, Chad figured they'd at least be tolerable even if he still felt nostalgic for the days in which he led the 182nd Legion.

The shuttle landed on the barren and mountainous surface of Oosalon. Unfortunately for Chad and Serra, Grand Master Sa Cuis and a few other Shadow Guards were present.

"Grand Master Cuis," Chad said in a tone he did his best to keep neutral. He didn't like the stout leader of the Shadow Guard, but Chad didn't want trouble and thus would try to avoid antagonizing him if he could.

"Count Vader," Cuis replied. "I see you have arrived to meddle in the affairs of the Shadow Guard."

Serra stepped forward. "Easy, Grand Master," she said. "We're all Imperials here, working together will allow us to pool our resources and efforts and increase the odds His Imperial Majesty's goals will be met."

Cuis yielded. "Very well. We have recovered three of my dead Guardsmen, they're over by my shuttle."

As promised, three corpses had been recovered. One was a relatively young Mirialan woman with yellow skin and red facial tattoos that actually reminded Serra and Chad of Barriss somewhat, if only on a superficial level. She had been bisected at the waist and stabbed twice in the chest. The second body was that of a tall, muscular humanoid with mint green eyes and gray skin. Unlike the Mirialan, he had a single gaping wound in his chest. The third was a young woman who looked to be at most in her late teens that had been shot in the head, dried blood covering her forehead and cheeks. Additionally, she had lost one of her hands.

"A bullet wound?" Chad said.

Serra nodded. "Looks like they used a slug rifle, or at least a portable railgun. And I'm guessing it wasn't the pair from Lothal who did this given their rather lackluster performance."

Chad frowned. "I know for a fact that the Lothal cell don't normally use slugthrowers and prefer blasters for ground combat. I say we get out of here and head back to the ship, we're done here."

What both Chad and Serra knew better than to say aloud, of course, was their intentions. True, it was bad form to withhold information from Cuis since the man did have enough influence with Palpatine to make life difficult for them. However, neither wanted to give the Shadow Guard a possible edge over the Inquisition or have to put up with potentially unreliable Shadow Guardsmen, so the Dark Jedi couple deemed it worth the risk.

 ***CUT TO: _PHANTOM_ , APPROACHING LOTHAL JEDI TEMPLE***

It was tough entering Lothal's atmosphere without attracting attention, even with the reduced Imperial presence in the system, but Ahsoka's flying was able to get them to the surface undetected.

Kanan, Ezra, and Ahsoka had opted to go to Lothal and visit the temple there in an effort to contact Master Yoda for advice. They hadn't informed anyone else for OPSEC reasons-even if their friends were captured and tortured in their absence, they wouldn't be able to reveal where the Jedi trio had gone.

"Alright, Ahsoka," Ezra said as they approached the temple on foot. "You and Kanan can use the Force to elevate the temple, part of it's actually buried underground."

"Sorry, Ezra," she replied, "but I can't."

"What, why?" asked Ezra.

"Technically, I'm no longer a Jedi." When Ezra raised an eyebrow in confusion, she explained. "I left the Order for my own reasons, so you and Kanan will have to do this yourselves. I don't think I can help here."

Ezra nodded before saying, "Alright, that's okay, Ahsoka."

Both he and Kanan tapped into the Force and got the temple to beginning rising up out of the ground. However, they got a new entrance rather than the one they had used months before.

Kanan instructed Chopper to stay behind and keep a lookout for trouble before going with Ahsoka and Ezra. After they had entered the temple, the door sealed themselves in the building.

"Kanan, how did you contact Master Yoda?" Ahsoka asked. "I'm guessing you didn't give him a holocall."

"Well..." Kanan said, "it's more like he contacted us."

Ezra: "I was dreaming when Master Yoda spoke to me for the first time."

"And I was meditating," Kanan added, realization dawning in his voice. "That might be a good place to start."

"Indeed."

The three all knelt and closed their eyes, doing their best to clear their minds and open themselves to the Force.

When Kanan opened his eyes, he could not see either Ezra or Ahsoka. He did, however, see an entrance composed entirely of white light. Running into it, he found himself disoriented on the other side but found a masked individual dressed in an outfit of white, pale gray, and gold.

The masked figured looked up at him. "I wondered when you would return."

"A Temple Guard?" Kanan wondered. He had guessed that all of the Temple Guards had been wiped out during the attack on the Jedi Temple during Order 66, so this man was most likely a Force ghost. "I've come seeking knowledge. I need to learn how to defeat the Sith and their Dark Jedi followers. They've all but wiped out the Jedi, subjected the galaxy to an unprecedented period of oppression, kidnapped children, and wiped out whole populations. Please, I need your help."

"You are not strong or skilled enough to defeat either two Sith Lords," the Temple Guard replied. "Try to do so in spite of my warning and you will die. The Rebellion will be crushed, you will be killed, and because of your failures your apprentice will fall to the dark side and become a servant of evil."

"Wait, Ezra isn't like that," said Kanan. _What is this guy saying?_ "Sure he has a temper, but he had a hard life growing up. He's a teenager, not a Sith."

"Do not be naive, young one," the Guard shot back. "The dark side pulls at him, it calls to him. Eventually, he will give in to temptation and fall."

The Temple Guard activated his lightsaber pike. Alarmed by his statements and actions, Kanan activated his lightsaber. "What are you doing?" he asked him, his voice on edge.

"Stand aside, the boy must be eliminated before he can turn to the dark side. I will do what you cannot."

In response, Kanan performed the traditional Makashi salute. _Looks like we're gonna have to do this the hard way_. "First off, you really sound like a Sith right now. Second off, that's not gonna happen."

The masked specter returned his salute before attacking Kanan. Blue and green blades clashed, both combatants struggling for the upper hand.

 ***CUT TO: EXTERIOR OF LOTHAL JEDI TEMPLE***

Alarmed by his sensors detecting an incoming Imperial lander, Chopper got into _Phantom_ and took off, simultaneously trying to warn the Jedi via comms. For whatever reason, they did not answer.

The Sentinel landed outside the temple. Chad, Serra, Malavai, Asher, Thana, and Shmi exited, their lightsabers at the ready.

"Is this really a Jedi temple, Father?" Malavai asked. He had memorized the photo from the Inquisition databanks, but it was still a site to behold, a symbol of the Empire's oldest enemy.

"It is, son," Chad replied. "And we are going to take care of the Jedi inside of it."

Reaching out into the Force, both he and Serra got to work elevating the building.

 ***CUT TO: INTERIOR OF LOTHAL JEDI TEMPLE***

"Is this the extent of your knowledge?" the Temple Guard demanded in a cool tone as he locked blades with Kanan.

"Hey, all things considered, I think I've learned a lot, buddy!" snapped Kanan.

"I think not," the spirit replied before shoving Kanan back with a Force-push.

Staying on his feet, Kanan threw his lightsaber at the masked Guard, who simply blocked the attack and knocked it to the floor. Retrieving his lightsaber with the Force, Kanan backed up as the Guard advanced before grabbing a second lightsaber off a wall.

"You are not strong enough to protect your student," the Guard said as two identically-dressed figures joined him and ignited their lightsabers. "Because of your weaknesses, you will die."

"Enough talk!" Kanan said as he charged at the Guard.

Despite doubling his efforts, eventually Kanan was knocked into a wall and cornered by the three Guards. Meanwhile dust began to come down from the ceiling. "Denying the facts is pointless. Even now the servants of the Sith search for you, your apprentice, and all your comrades. You cannot fight them forever."

"You're right," said Kanan in a soft tone as he deactivated his lightsaber. _I may have failed, but at least I tried and had the courage to take this bastard on._ "I can't protect Ezra forever. Not from the dark side, not from the Empire, not from the Sith...hell, not even from himself. All I can do is what I've been doing ever since I've taken him as my Padawan-train him the best I can."

The Guard raised his lightsaber. Kanan closed his eyes, prepared to accept his fate with dignity.

The Guard then held his blade in place over Kanan in various positions. "By the right of the Order, by the will of the Force. Kanan Jarrus, you may rise."

Kanan looked up, stunned, as the Guards deactivated their weapons. "Wait, what just happened?" he asked. Sure, it was nice to not be dead, but Kanan wondered what exactly his opponent had just done.

The first Guard removed his mask, and Kanan was shocked to see it was the same Pau'an that he had dueled on quite a few occasions. Only his eyes were silver rather than yellow and his face lacked red markings. "It means you are what I once was; a Jedi Knight."

"You were a Temple Guard?!" Kanan exclaimed. "You, of all people?!"

"Some people are not born evil, friend," said the Pau'an. "Some, like me, become agents of the dark side later on in their lives."

As dust continued to fall from the ceiling, the Pau'an simply pointed at the newly recreated entrance of white light. "Go, I will delay the enemy for as long as I can! But you and your friends must leave this temple at once if you want to survive!"

Kanan nodded. "Thank you." It felt rude to not ask the Pau'an for his name, but there was little time, so he simply ran for the exit.

Fleeing deeper into the temple, Kanan rendezvoused with Ezra and Ahsoka. "Kanan, Ahsoka, you wouldn't-."

"Tell us later, we gotta move!" Kanan cut Ezra off. Interrupting him was something the newly-knighted Kanan would prefer to avoid doing, but time was of the essence.

Meanwhile Chad, Serra, and their children moved into the temple, their red plasma blades held aloft. Chad and Serra led the way, being both parents and the most experienced members of the group, while their offspring brought up the rear and flanks.

Suddenly a Pau'an with a yellowish-green lightsaber pike appeared out of seemingly nowhere. However, both Chad and Serra felt they recognized the individual.

"High Inquisitor?" said Serra.

"Yes and no," the figure said as he advanced on them along with a number of masked individuals dressed in similar clothing.

"You aren't real," Chad said, even though he believed he was looking at Jerec's predecessor himself. "You died months ago."

"We're surrounded!" Shmi cried out.

Thana snarled as she engaged her ringed lightsaber's spinning function. "Do your worst, assholes!"

"Get behind us!" Chad ordered.

"Kinda hard to do that right now, Dad," said Asher in a sheepish voice.

"Then stay together," Serra told them all firmly.

The Pau'an and his fellow Temple Guards attacked.

 ***CUT TO: _PHANTOM_ ***

"Guys, I know this'll sound crazy," Ezra said, "but I saw him. I actually saw Master Yoda."

"Really?" Kanan asked. "Damn, but if that's true, it's no more unbelievable than my own tale."

"Did he tell you anything, Ezra?" Ahsoka asked.

"Yeah, he told me to find Malachor. Who's that?"

Ahsoka grimaced and glanced at Kanan. "Malachor isn't a person, it's a place. More specifically, it's a star system."

Ezra frowned. "Is there something bad about Malachor?"

"Let's just say they made a bad holo game about it for a reason."

 ***CUT TO: EXTERIOR OF LOTHAL JEDI TEMPLE***

Count Vader had ordered a full battalion of CompForce soldiers to guard the building, though he had given said battalion strict orders to keep out of the Jedi temple.

Zadawi didn't ponder the reason for the Lieutenant Governor's orders. Instead she protected the entrance along with Blum and a platoon of troopers from the 105th.

"Hey, Zadawi?"

Zadawi glanced at Blum. "Yes, Blum?" She was tempted to reprimand him again, but Blum's unprofessionalism seemed to be an inalterable feature of his and he had at least called her by her first name rather than a nickname.

"You ever wonder why we're here?"

"That's one of life's great mysteries," she admitted, surprised at Blum's question. "About why we exist and all that."

"Yeah," her fellow Lieutenant said. "Are we just the result of the universe creating itself at random? Or is there some deity that created this universe and everyone in it, including both of us, and has a plan for us? I don't know about you, Zad, but that actually keeps me up at night sometimes."

Suddenly a _Lambda_ -class shuttle came into view. Zadawi stiffened; clearly more Imperial VIPs were on their way to the temple.

The shuttle landed, and after the ramp lowered a squad of Stormtroopers exited, followed by two figures that made Zadawi's heart skip a beat.

 _Both the_ Emperor _and Lord Vader are here!_

Unsure of what else to do, both Zadawi and Blum knelt out of reverence for His Imperial Majesty.

Palpatine passed by the kneeling Imperial officers and entered the temple, accompanied by Vader, four Royal Guardsmen, and a squad of elite Stormtroopers from the 501st Legion.

"Well done, Count Vader," he said after entering the room, noting with approval that all of Vader's relatives, including his sister-in-law, had fallen to their knees upon laying eyes on him. "You may not have killed any Jedi today, but the discovery of this temple pleases me. Now rise."

Vader's brother rose to his feet. "Now, Count," Palpatine continued, "something troubles you. Speak."

"My Emperor," the Lieutenant Governor of the Outer Rim stated, "the Jedi are growing in their power. The threat they pose to your glorious New Order has substantially increased."

This time it was Palpatine's apprentice who spoke up. "It will be their undoing."

 **ME: In case it wasn't clear, Ahsoka killed off the Shadow Guard versions of the Fifth Brother and Seventh Sister.**

 **I left out Ahsoka and Ezra's visions/experiences because I felt pressed for time and Kanan's experience was better, plus I kinda hated adapting this episode.**

 **Alright, guys, I'm on vacation for Spring break, so don't expect much from me this weekend. Even my ability to respond to PMs will be limited.**

 **Ahsoka's Malachor comments are a reference to KOTOR 2, which wasn't as well-received as KOTOR, I heard. And from what I've read, it's reasonable why the fans reacted the way they did.**

 **Yeah, I made a RVB reference. Also, I included Palpatine because he seems more concerned with Force-related activities than actually governing the Empire.**

 **Maybe I shouldn't adapt the Forgotten Droid to save time.**

 **Regardless, I hope you guys enjoyed this.**


	50. The Forgotten Droid

**ME: Time for an update. I think I'll try and finish TECD before updating TFM, if only due to lack of ideas for TFM. I got over 200 pages of Shadow Hunter to read after posting this, though, and I may not finish this story before the Season 3 finale.**

Lothal's celebrations of the fifteenth anniversary of the galaxy's salvation may have been disrupted by anti-Imperial terrorists, but both Governor Kira West and Minister Maketh Tua have vowed to ensure that Capital City will be safe for this Empire Day. Already Lord Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin report that the self-proclaimed Rebel Alliance that has threatened the Outer Rim will soon be neutralized.

 **(Alton Kastle, HoloNet News reporter assigned to Lothal)**

Ahsoka did her best to sleep, but ever since her visit to Lothal's Jedi temple, it was easier said than done...

 _"Ahsoka," Anakin said. "Why did you leave?"_

 _Ahsoka tried to answer him, but she stayed silent. It was as if her vocal cords refused to work. "Where were you when I needed you the most, Ahsoka?" he added. "Where were you when_ all _of us needed you the most?!"_

 _Ahsoka blinked back tears. "I'm so so-."_

 _"'SORRY' DOESN'T_ CUT IT _, AHSOKA!" screamed Anakin. "YOU FAILED ME! YOU FAILED THE JEDI! AND ON TOP OF THAT, YOU FAILED THE ENTIRE GALAXY! DO YOU HAVE_ ANY _IDEA OF WHAT I'VE_ BECOME _?!"_

 _As Anakin ranted angrily, his form changed. No longer was he the young Jedi Knight that was on many a teenage girl's (and some teenage boys as well) bedroom wall; now he was an imposing figure dressed from head-to-toe in black, his face hidden by a sealed helmet._

 _"I couldn't stay, Anakin!" Ahsoka said, tears flowing from her eyes. "I made a choice, I couldn't keep being part of the Order!"_

 _"Neither could we."_

 _Ahsoka turned to find three new figures; Barriss, Chad, and Raana. Unlike Anakin, they looked exactly like they did in the present rather than appear as their old selves._

 _"Why are you guys with the Empire?!" Ahsoka said, failing to keep her voice level. "The Emperor is an evil Sith tyrant that's subjugated the entire galaxy!"_

 _"Ahsoka, our benevolent Emperor is the best leader the galaxy has ever had," Raana said. "He understood that the Jedi Order was loyal to and would defend the Galactic Senate, a corrupt institution that was either apathetic to or sped along the Republic's decay, no matter what. As such, His Imperial Majesty was right to have the Order destroyed. What you call subjugation, Ahsoka, I call the establishment of a new and better way of life-there is a reason the savior of the galaxy has been called 'the Great Uniter.'"_

 _"Sidious brought this so-called unity about through fear and force!" replied Ahsoka. "What about all the younglings killed at the Temple on Coruscant?! The Sith butchers had them murdered!"_

 _Barriss shook her head. "As a healer, I learned about cancer," she told Ahsoka. "An archaic disease that, left unchecked, can kill someone quite horrifyingly. You can't merely use radiation therapy or pharmaceutical drugs on cancer, Ahsoka. A doctor, particularly one without Force-sensitivity, has to cut it out surgically in order to truly rid a body of cancer, and the Great Uniter cut out the cancer that was destroying the galaxy. It is unfortunate that the younglings perished, but what is ten thousand men, women, and children compared to the rest of the galaxy?"_

 _"What about Luminara?" Ahsoka shot back. "What about the One-Eighty-Second Legion? Were they all some necessary sacrifice for Sidious to become the most powerful dictator ever?"_

 _The trio all recoiled, evidently not appreciating Ahsoka's reminder of their own losses. "My men are all dead now because of the Jedi, not Lord Sidious," Chad retorted. "Just end this Rebel nonsense and join us, Ahsoka. It'll be just like old times."_

 _"No, I won't join the Empire!" Ahsoka said. "I am not becoming some jackbooted thug with a red lightsaber!"_

 _Anakin-no, Vader-ignited his own blade. "Then you will be destroyed," he said in a flat tone before attacking her._

Ahsoka awoke in a cold sweat and with one of her own lightsabers active, the white blade of plasma ready to defend her.

Kanan knocked on the door. "Ahsoka?" he asked. "Are you okay?"

Ahsoka deactivated her lightsaber. "I'm fine, Kanan," she answered.

There was a pregnant pause, then Kanan said, "You make a poor liar, Ahsoka. Want me to get you some caf?"

"Yes please, Kanan," she replied. "Thank you."

While waiting for the caf, Ahsoka pulled out a photo she had kept. It was of herself, Anakin, Chad, and Raana during the first year of the Clone Wars. It had been nearly two decades since the photo had been taken. Now it was all but certain that Anakin had been turned to the dark side, Chad was now Tarkin's brutal right-hand man, and Raana had become an Inquisitor.

 _I suppose Raana, Chad, and Barriss unintentionally saved me from getting shot in the back or decapitated._ But even if Ahsoka had left the Order, she refused to give up on the galaxy.

She decided to send a message to Lux, telling him she was still fine and hoping that all was well on Onderon. His homeworld had, unfortunately, attracted even more negative attention from the Emperor thanks to the actions of the Partisans. While not as vile as the JAN terrorist organization, the Partisans' brutality and disregard for collateral damage made them galactic pariahs.

Soon _Ghost_ had landed aboard _Phoenix of Ryloth_ , the renamed carrier captured over Ryloth. Renamed in tribute to Cham Syndulla's fighters and to the people of Ryloth that had suffered under the Imperial occupation, Phoenix Fleet had become a battle group rather than a mere squadron. As such, Ackbar been promoted up two ranks from Captain to Rear Admiral, while H'Arman had been made a Captain and been placed in charge of the carrier's fighter complement due to his experience during the Clone Wars as a pilot.

"Thanks to intelligence that's been gathered from various sources," Ahsoka said, beginning the meeting, "Phoenix Fleet may finally have a base."

"Indeed, General Tano," said Admiral Ackbar. "But Yost is a considerable distance away, ma'am, and _Phoenix_ is low on fuel."

"Unfortunately, sir, the Empire has increased security around nearby gas giants," said Lucas. "So looks like we'll have to steal fuel from the Imperials, Admiral, if that means keeping this carrier going."

"That sounds rather risky," said Ensign Hoban "Wash" Washburne, the pilot of _Serenity_. "Wouldn't the Imperials have beefed up security around their ports and bases as well, Lieutenant?"

"They have, but we'll have an easier time securing the fuel without a light cruiser or a Star Destroyer taking potshots at us, Ensign," Lucas replied. As an intelligence officer who took to the field, the Vektan Rebel naturally saw things differently than a pilot who was averse to ground combat.

"Besides," Sabine added, "have you ever seen bucketheads shoot, Ensign? Stormies can't hit the broadside of a barn, and the Imp Fed Guard's got even lower standards than the Corps."

"That's due to inconsistent training standards and complacency," Ahsoka said sharply. "Don't underestimate the Empire, Sabine. Back during the Clone War, battle droids could and did kill Jedi and clones alike all the time, and the most common ones used by the Separatists were not what I would call skilled soldiers."

"Indeed, General," Rex said. "Stormtroopers might be piss-poor on average compared to my fellow original clones, but I'd keep on my toes for the exceptions to the rule, Corporal Wren." Sabine had recently been promoted, and the newly-minted NCO had ended up helping to train Marines in the safe use of explosives.

Before the Spectres could leave, Walon Vau, a Mandalorian Rebel who had been a _Cuy'val Dar_ trainer on Kamino prior to the start of the Clone Wars, handed Sabine a package. "It's for you, Wren," Vau said. "Courtesy of Clan Skirata."

Sabine thanked him and boarded _Ghost_ with the rest of Spectre Team. Opening the package onboard, it turned out that her fellow Mandalorians had given her a _kama_ , a flexible leather accessory that provided protection against debris and shrapnel, among other things.

"Sweet, I'm definitely thanking Kal and the rest of his clan in person for this," Sabine said as she put on the protective kilt. "I always wanted one."

"Nice skirt, Sabine," stated Ezra, a smirk on his face.

Sabine sighed and rolled her eyes. "It's a _kama_ , Ezra," she said, putting extra emphasis on the official name of her new article of clothing. "It's a unisex item anyway."

"Don't worry, Sabine," Zeb teased, "you can indulge your feminine side all you want. You're still a girl, after all, even if you are a Mando."

Diana snorted. "You guys do realize Mandalorian females tend to be more deadly than your average male sentient, correct? And Sabine's _very_ creative when she puts her mind to it."

"Hey, I'm _always_ creative."

Ghost touched down half an hour later on a landing pad. "Alright," Kanan said as the landing ramp lowered, "we'll have to blast our way out of here fast after we get the fuel. Chopper, stay here and be ready to help Diana." The young Concordian had been receiving lessons from Hera, enabling her to fly _Ghost_ (albeit not as efficiently as the older pilot).

Looking into the distance as Sabine patted him on his dome, Chopper got excited as he saw a new droid leg for sale that matched his right one. If he could get it, he'd be able to discard his unimpressive left leg. Getting Hera's attention, Chopper displayed a hologram of the leg.

"Chopper, we're not here to shop," Hera said sternly. "This is a dangerous mission, so you and Diana will have to be giving two-hundred percent just like the rest of us or we all end up dead or worse. I know Diana, the girl's gonna do her part, so you have to do yours."

"Shop?" Zeb said. "Well, too bad, _Shopper_! You heard Hera!"

 _Kriff you, you ugly purple meathead,_ Chopper said, but to his annoyance Zeb didn't even seem to mind being insulted. _Kriff you._

"Just relax and stay here, Chop," Ezra told him. "Get a _leg up_ on the Imps."

"Yeah, _Shopper_."

"Do all you Lothal country bumpkins tell bad jokes?" Lucas said, mildly annoyed at Ezra and Zeb's lowbrow humor.

"Hey! I'm from Capital City on Lothal, Lucas! I didn't grow up on a farm!"

Chopper chortled at Ezra's expense. G _ood one, Lieutenant Meatbag. For that, I will spare you._ Then he waited for the Spectres to depart, already formulating a plan to acquire his new leg.

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE, ARRS _PHOENIX OF RYLOTH_ ***

"We'll be dropping out of hyperspace in t-minus five minutes, General Tano," Ackbar told Ahsoka.

Ahsoka nodded, feeling uneasy for some reason. "Thank you, Admiral," she said. "I'll be in Hangar Two."

Stored in Hangar Two was _Blade Wing_ , Phoenix Fleet's sole B-wing. Ahsoka had flown it more than once. It was fast and agile in addition to being a blockade-buster, but the B-wing's gyroscopics made it a maintenance nightmare, to the grief of Phoenix's mechanics, and Doctor Quarrie had indicated that the problem would not likely be solved in the production model B-wings, which would lose.

The ship decelerated out of hyperspace-and, through the force field, Ahsoka saw an Imperial battle group.

 _Oh, kriff me..._

Alarms began to blare, and Ahsoka turned to the hangar crew. "Get me every ion weapon you can find and load them into my fighter," she said. "We got a battle group to save, people, so let's move!"

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!"

 ***CUT TO: COCKPIT OF ARRS _GHOST_ ***

"We have to go back for Chopper!" Ezra said as _Ghost_ headed towards the RV point. "It's what he did for us back when Kanan got captured by the first Inquisitor!"

"I warned Chopper to not get distracted by that karking leg!" Hera cursed, having relieved Diana of her temporary assignment.

"Hey, maybe he's going through a droid midlife crisis," Zeb suggested. "That C-One might be older than me for all we know."

"I know that droid, Zeb, he's always thinking of himself!" snapped back Hera. "Trust me, I rescued him back on Ryloth after his Y-wing got shot down during the Clone Wars and he still pulls stunts like this." Her uncharacteristic anger was linked to both Chopper's disappearance and the nature of the mission.

"Wait, Chopper's a veteran like Kanan?" Sabine asked. "I never would have guessed that."

Hera: "That's understandable, Sabine. I never would have pegged him as ex-military myself."

 _Ghost_ dropped out of hyperspace, only to find Phoenix Fleet engaged in combat with Imperial vessels.

"Battlestations," Hera ordered instinctively after only a moment's hesitation, both disappointed and unsurprised that the battle group had come under attack.

"Fleet Actual to _Ghost_ , come in," said Admiral Ackbar. " _Ghost_ , do you copy?"

"I copy, Fleet Actual," replied Hera. "We're already on our way, just give me a hangar bay. Over."

"Proceed to Hangar Four, I say again, proceed to Hangar Four! We need to get moving fast, Captain Syndulla!"

"Acknowledged, Fleet Actual."

The infamous (amongst Imperials) VCX freighter raced towards _Phoenix of Ryloth_. TIEs were sent after _Ghost_ , their pilots' superiors having correctly guessed that she was loaded with fuel vital for the continued operation of the Rebel carrier, only to be shot down by either _Ghost's_ gunners or Ahsoka, who had already been quite a headache for the Imperial forces.

Against all odds, _Ghost_ successfully landed in Hangar Four. Kanan, Lucas, and Sabine immediately got to work offloading the fuel, while Hera breathed a sigh of relief just as a certain someone contacted her.

Hera: "C-ONE-TEN-P!"

"...pardon me, madam, but what did Chopper ever do to you?"

 ***CUT TO: BRIDGE OF ARRS _PHOENIX OF RYLOTH_ ***

"The Yost system has been compromised?" Admiral Ackbar asked. _First, we're low on fuel. Second, we get ambushed at the rendezvous point. Last but not least, we could very well need to spend precious time trying to calculate a new jump and could get killed for it. Not a very good day for the fleet._

"Affirmative, sir," replied Captain Syndulla. "I'm sending the new coordinates now to all ships."

Already one of the Hammerheads had been destroyed and _Liberator_ had been crippled, her crew now fleeing their doomed vessel. Fortunately, the Imperials seemed largely uninterested in the escape pods, but that was likely due to the fact that the Rebels recovering them would take time rather than moral or ethical restraint.

Despite this, the coordinates were inputed into the navicomputers and courses were calculated as fast as possible while Phoenix Fleet completed the other prerequisites for its escape.

 ***CUT TO: LIVING ROOM OF ARRS _GHOST_ ***

"W-where am I-I?" AP-5 said as he reactivated. "W-what's going on? What happ-."

"Don't worry," a young Human woman who was wearing Mandalorian armor plates said. "You're fine, AP-Five, you're safe. I'm Sabine, one of Chopper's teammates. I ended up using parts from the leg Chopper stole to save your _beskar'shebs_."

"You sacrificed the full functionality of your new leg to save me?" AP-5 asked the beaten and battered astromech. Curiously, both of Chopper's legs seemed to be white now. Maybe he had simply had his old one repainted or had gotten the internal components from his old leg installed into the new one.

 _Affirmative,_ Chopper answered solemnly. _You're my friend, AP-Five._

"I knew you had a malfunctioning logic circuit!"

Lucas rolled his eyes as the two bickered. "So, how did you two meet? I'm curious, Chopper, as how you were able to steal an Imperial cargo ship even with AP-Five helping you out. I'd appreciate the details, I mean it."

 _Let's just say it's a long story that is admittedly kind of comical and ridiculous,_ the grumpy astromech told the Vektan.

AP-5: "For once, I agree."

 ***CUT TO: HANGAR OF HIMS _EXECUTRIX_ ***

"Just please tell me that the uprising on Raxus was at least defeated, Count Vader," Tarkin said to his second-in-command, who had arrived with Lord Vader and two separate entourages for the Imperial brothers. He had grown considerably irritated for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was the twins arriving with their forces literally seconds after the Rebels had escaped into hyperspace.

"Those Separatist holdouts never do know when to quit, but yes," Chad replied. "I admit that taking out the Jedi and a key part of their insurrection would be great, Governor, but Raxus was the Seps' capital and a successful insurgency there would embolden practically every anti-Imperial fighter from here to Corellia. Fortunately, Captain Soot was able to snag a nice bonus in the form of capturing a would-be weapons smuggler."

A dark-skinned woman with purple eyes was dragged forward by two CompForce guards, spewing out a steady stream of profanities in several languages, including Basic, Huttese, and Mando'a.

"Some two-bit mercenary is not an impressive catch, Vader," Tarkin snapped.

"But this is no ordinary Black Sun goon, sir," Chad told him. "This is Ketsu Onyo, a deserter from the Imperial Academy linked to Sabine Wren, one of the regular Rebel insurgents from Lothal. I'm certain she can be of use to us."

Ketsu spat on the ground. "I'd rather rot and waste away on Kessel than be labeled a rat, you pig," she snarled.

Tarkin shook his head. "Brave but foolish girl." He nodded over at a man in an ISB uniform. "Major General Sinclair, is it?"

"Yes, Governor Tarkin." A loyalty officer born and raised on Vekta, Sinclair was one of the most dangerous men employed by COMPNOR that Tarkin knew of, if only for his devotion to the New Order. It was fitting that he was assigned to watch over Lord Vader's personal corps.

"Dispose of this traitorous garbage for her crimes against the Empire, General, and do so now."

Sinclair didn't even respond verbally. The dark-skinned man simply drew his pistol and fired a single shot into the back of Onyo's head.

"Thank you, General." Tarkin then turned to his right-hand man again. "Lieutenant Governor, come with me."

Admiral Grey clicked her heels in salute as the two men came into view. "Grand Moff-."

"-save it, Grey," Tarkin cut her off. "You've been rather deficient as a commander lately."

The Vektan woman shook her head. "Governor, I did the best I could with what ships I had."

"You had an Imperial battle group to fight a squadron's worth of blockade runners and a stolen light carrier. Even without an Imperial Star Destroyer, the Rebels should have been defeated."

"Sir, there was an attack starfighter and I didn't want to damage the carrier before recapt-."

"-that carrier is _expendable_ ," said Tarkin. "More importantly, I'm certain damaging the electrical systems with ion cannon fire would be an acceptable price to pay for taking her out of the game. Count Vader, if you will."

Chad ignited his lightsaber and ended Grey's life quickly, to the shock of her second-in-command, Rear Admiral (lower half) Rae Sloane. "Congratulations, Admiral Sloane, on your promotion," Chad said dryly.

Sloane nodded. "Thank you, my lord."

Chad: "By the way, Governor Tarkin, we really must get Thrawn promoted as well. I believe it was his idea to secure the local gas giants."

 **ME: I may not have explicitly had Lux as Ahsoka's husband and did not mention any kids, but let's be real here, just as Anakin would have a lot of explaining to do if Padmé survived, to say the least, I doubt Barriss's chances would have been good after framing Ahsoka even if either of them ever had feelings for each other. The Barrissoka ship may not have been sunk as badly as HIMS Mallus, but it still took a nasty blow given how Season 5 of TCW ended.**

 **I won't have a chance to read the Thrawn novel until May, so no spoilers, please, unless I've indicated I've read it.**

 **I admit that not really covering AP-5 and Chopper is lazy, but I wanted to get an update out and I felt covering Chopper's shenanigans would have been unoriginal compared to the meeting between the Spectres and Clan Skirata. Plus I don't know how he could have realistically snuck onboard the Imperial freighter, though maybe the Captain was a moron at security in addition to an asshole.**

 **I decided to off Ketsu because she really is an unimportant character in the grand scheme of things, and while I don't hate her, I don't really like her either. Plus Ahsokafanboy1138 wanted Sinclair to be a scary Imperial political officer. If you guys want to complain about offing a non-white character, remember I already killed off Sato. Some might call me sexist instead, then, but I spared Tua even if Pryce got killed.**

 **I mentioned the sixteenth Empire Day coming up because I wanted to show the passage of time. Hopefully this didn't suck, guys. If so, my most sincere apologies. I was up late finally finishing this off.**


	51. Threats to Chopper Base

**ME: Time for a little bit of Maya, but first let's see Chopper Base on Atollon.**

The Helghast have always been oppressed by outside forces. First, the Vektans forced us into exile. Then they tried to starve us to death when we fought back against their imperialism. Now the Empire controls Helghan, claiming it has our people's best interests in mind. But Palpatine is merely the latest foreigner who has the audacity to dictate to us, and the Visaris have forsaken the self-determination of the Helghast people in exchange for the scraps he tosses to them! However, some of us refused to lay down and die while their homeworld bled solely for the benefit of an outside power. Join the Justice Action Network, for we are the black hand of true justice! Join us, and together we can destroy the oppressors of Helghan and the collaborators that enable their rule over your home!

 **(Minister of Information Vladko Tyran, spokesman for the Justice Action Network, speaking in a recruitment video directed towards disillusioned Helghast)**

A mesa on Atollon now hosted Chopper Base, an installation established to service Phoenix Fleet. Commanded by the newly-promoted Colonel Frederic West, who had escaped the fallen _Liberator_ in an escape pod, the Rebels were grateful for their good fortune and sought to make the base as functional as possible.

"Finally!" AP-5 said impatiently as Kanan and Ezra pushed a repulsorcart weighed down by an outdated hyperdrive down _Ghost's_ loading ramp. "I've been waiting for these hyperdrives for approximately two days, twenty-three hours, fifteen minutes, and thirty-five seconds."

Doctor Simon Tam, a young man in his twenties, frowned at AP-5. "Droid, I can think of no logical reason why you've ordered all these outdated hyperdrives and electrical conduits," he said. "We have fusion reactors, you know, which are far safer than all forms of hypermatter-using technology."

AP-5 groaned audibly. "These hyperdrives may be outdated by modern standards," he said, "but they are still capable of producing electricity, Doctor Tam. More importantly, they may need energy to be activated but once they're online they require no fuel, unlike fusion reactors. So they will lessen Chopper Base's dependence on outside fuel sources, which will have the nice side effect of reducing the risk for our cargo transport crews. For a surgeon, you're not very smart, Doctor."

Simon's eyes widened. "I'll have you know my sister is the only person I can think of that's smarter than me!"

Kanan, Hera, Kal Skirata, Malcolm Reynolds, and Master Altis all proceeded to the command center, where they met up with Colonel West and Rex. "Good news, everyone," Colonel West began. "First off, the techs are almost done installing the communications equipment here."

"Second off," Rex added, "the Seabees have set up vaporators and are trying to tap into an aquifer. This may be a hot, dry, and unpleasant planet, but at least nothing's trying to kill us."

"Mayday, May-AUGH!" someone said via comlink.

"Sender on this net, please identify yourself," said a comms operator, who managed to keep her voice level. "Over."

Rex sighed. "I may have spoken too soon."

 ***CUT TO: ISB PLANETARY HEADQUARTERS, PYRRHUS CITY, HELGHAN***

"Intel from both the VSA and the HSF indicates that the JAN are operating in the vicinity of the Shipping Complex," said General Sinclair. "They're smuggling contraband both in and out of the city that way."

"Indeed, General Sinclair," said Kallus. "Lieutenant Visari will be tasked with locating Tyran in the city and neutralizing him and any other high-value targets she finds. Captain Brek will be assigned a platoon of Death Watch troopers and will launch a diversionary assault to draw attention away from Visari's infiltration."

Maya nodded. "I'm honored to be entrusted with such a mission, sir," she said.

Kallus put a hand on her shoulder. "You've proven yourself, Lieutenant," he said. "You're the most courageous young woman I've ever met, and I'm certain you can handle Tyran and his fellow terrorists. Now go."

The half-breed ISB officer clicked her heels. "Right away, General."

Maya was not fond of Pyrrhus, even if it was her hometown. Outside of Corinth Square, the city just felt sterile, dominated by industry and austere housing blocks. Sure, things had improved greatly on Helghan with the end of the sanctions imposed on the planet by the ineffectual Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum and the rise of the Empire (or at least that was what Maya had been taught growing up), but she still felt uneasy about the design of the city.

 _Grandfather always did talk about the decadence and frivolity of Vektans, in contrast to the discipline and frugality practiced by us Helghast,_ Maya reflected as she proceeded deeper into the city. _He said it's even reflected in how our homeworld's capital compares to Vekta City. But is it really that bad to have a city that doesn't have a dreary atmosphere?_

The young Imperial agent shook her head and did her best to stop thinking about the nature of Pyrrhus City; it would be a needless distraction that would only get her killed in a dangerous environment.

Before too long, Maya came across two JAN operatives on sentry duty. One of the terrorists was likely a Helghast, given how he was wearing outdated gear used during the Gyre War. The other one was clearly a Twi'lek, wearing an old Neimoidian helmet that had been modified to accommodate her lekku.

"So, what's the attitude of the people here towards the Empire?" asked the woman.

"It's terrible," said the man. _That's a local accent, now I'm sure he's a Helghast,_ Maya thought. "Nowadays Visari is nothing but just another puppet for Palpatine, but the majority of my people still love the karker, so they go along with the idea of the Empire being good for us. I swear, I wanna be the one to put a bull-."

Maya squeezed the trigger of her suppressed blaster rifle, sending a particle bolt to the back of the male terrorist's head. The female JAN member gasped in surprise and turned to face Maya, but it was already too late. One shot later and the Twi'lek terrorist was collapsing to the floor, a cauterized wound marring her corpse's forehead.

"Overwatch, this is Agent Visari," she said. "Come in, over."

"Copy, Lieutenant," replied Kallus. The older ISB agent had gotten closer to her since the failed operation in the Geonosis system, but he still tried to appear professional in dealing with her officially. "Go ahead, over."

Maya: "General, be advised: I just killed a Twi'lek JAN operative. I say again, I've terminated a hostile Twi'lek. Looks like Tyran's isn't limited to Helghast recruits anymore, over."

"Copy that, Lieutenant. Hold your position, I'll order Captain Brek to begin the diversionary assault momentarily. How copy?"

"Copy, sir," replied Maya, "but I request that you hold off on the assault. Say again, please do not launch the diversionary assault yet."

There was a pregnant pause before Kallus replied by saying, "Care to explain why I should do that, Lieutenant?"

"General Kallus, I don't think Tyran's forces know I'm here." Maya had thought it over in her head, and her idea seemed sound. "Launching an attack will just cause the enemy to go on high-alert, and that could very well just lead to him fleeing."

"Understood, Lieutenant, but that means that if you get discovered, you'll be on your own and have a higher chance of getting killed. Are you willing to accept such a risk?"

She nodded, even though there was no way Kallus could see her do so. "It's essential I do so for the sake of the mission, General."

"Acknowledged, Lieutenant. Proceed with caution, good luck."

Maya engaged her cloaking device just as the male terrorist's comlink beeped. "Ekland, come in. State your status, over."

 _Kriff..._ she thought.

"Ekland, what is going on?" There was a pause that lasted for seven more seconds, then, "Ekland, if you can respond, do so immediately."

Maya proceeded further into the depths of Pyrrhus, while Tyran got on the terrorist channel. "Everyone on this channel, Ekland and his partner are not responding. Go on high alert while we find out what's going on, over."

"Shit," the ISB agent muttered to herself. On one hand, her cloak would render her virtually impossible to spot. On the other hand, now all of the local JAN terrorists would be fearing a security breach.

Maya then realized that anyone who discovered the corpses would be able to alert Tyran and risk letting him get away, but it was too late to turn back and dispose of the bodies properly (and she doubted she could do that in her current situation anyway), so she settled for alerting Kallus.

"Visari to Overwatch, be advised," she began. "The enemy may be aware of my infiltration, say again, hostiles may be aware of the breach. Do you copy, over?"

"Solid copy, Lieutenant," the General responded. "Do you require backup, over?"

"Negative, sir." Maya now had at least five JAN operatives in her sights, all armed and on the lookout for her. "Just please have Captain Brek and his platoon on stand by, I think I'm gonna need their diversion, General."

Suddenly the JAN comms frequency exploded with chatter about two dead bodies. One of the terrorists put a hand to his head before barking orders at his subordinates.

"You need that diversion now, Maya?" Kallus said.

While it was a breach of protocol, the young Helghast woman appreciated the sincere concern Kallus was showing her even if he had become more uncharacteristically affable lately. "Affirmative, General Kallus. Looks like they're onto me, sir."

"I'll give the order, then. Good hunting,

Two of the JAN operatives were approaching Maya now. Readying one of her sidearms, the young and deadly Imperial decided that, in her current situation, the best defense would be a good offense.

The Helghast agent surprised the nearest terrorist by charging him, shoving his rifle aside before he could get a shot off, grabbing onto his chin firmly, and twisting it violently to the side. The second terrorist yelled, "DIE, _CHAKAAR_!" and raised his weapon, only for his aim to be thrown off when Maya shoved his dead comrade in his direction.

"I don't rob graves," Maya said dryly as she opened fire with her blaster pistol, ending the distracted man's life.

"Minister Tyran, we have an infiltrator in our midst!" said the lead JAN terrorist after he and the others opened fire while Maya scrambled to cover. "I repeat, we got an infiltrator! We need reinforcements!"

"Just one infiltrator?!" Tyran snapped. "Then deal with him on your own, the _Kyr'tsad_ have come to the aid of their lackeys!"

Maya found a grenade on one of the two dead terrorists and threw it over towards the surviving trio, killing all but one of them. Luckily enough, the survivor turned out to be the leader.

"I'll never talk!" the wounded JAN operative proclaimed as he held his bleeding leg. "I won't rat to an enemy of the revolution!"

Maya simply punched the man in the torso, breaking one of his ribs, before putting weight on his bad leg. As the terrorist screamed, she said, "Tell me what Tyran is up to, and things will be less painful for you."

"NEVER!" spat the JAN operative, who then literally spit on her.

Maya punched the man, furthering damaging his ribcage, before resting a crushgaunt-strengthened hand on his bleeding leg. "Are you sure about that?"

"Wait, I'll talk!" the terrorist pleaded.

"Then start talking," she said curtly.

"Tyran doesn't even show to meetings most of the time now that he's a big shot with the Network, but I've heard he was meeting with some Devaronian from Lothal in order to get his hand on T-Eight disruptors from that backwater! It's doubtlessly true, my source is very trustworthy!"

The man was clearly on his way out, but Maya didn't have time to waste patching him up and continuing the interrogation, so she simply finished him off with a blow to the head that cracked the terrorist's skull. Scum like him who endangered innocent civilians didn't deserve mercy, but to leave even a dying terrorist behind would be to risk getting shot in the back, so it was the smart choice.

"General Kallus, do we have any available air assets?" Maya asked as she fought her way through the JAN operatives. "Because I think Tyran might try and escape via starship."

"Unlikely, Lieutenant," said Kallus. "Tyran's smart enough to know that taking off would get him blown out of the sky, so he'll stick to the ground. A lot of JAN are falling back towards a building, it could be his hideout. Coordinates transmitting; stay frosty, Agent. This could be a trap."

Eliminating what resistance she encountered, as Maya proceeded towards the waypoint Kallus had sent her Captain Brek contacted her. "Lieutenant Visari, this is Captain Brek," the older ISB junior officer said. "Visari, do you copy?"

"Copy, Captain," she replied. "Go ahead, sir."

"Visari, we're pinned down by an E-Web guarding the front entrance to the target building. If you can get in close and disable it with a grenade, we can advance and finish them off. Got it?"

"I'm on it, Captain," Maya said. Earlier she had retrieved an old but still functional EMP grenade off a dead JAN operative, figuring it would come in handy if she encountered terrorists with better technology. "Stand by."

Maya concealed herself before engaging her cloaking device again. Due to its power consumption, she had little choice but to deactivate it whenever stealth was no longer feasible.

The JAN building was an ugly one, even by the standards of Pyrrhus City's architectural style. In addition the E-Web gunner, there were a number of terrorists equipped with small arms also firing on Brek and his Death Watch platoon and posing a challenge to anyone who would attempt to flank the E-Web position.

Unfortunately for the terrorists, Maya was not nearly as visible as their usual opponents.

"Captain, this is Visari," she said. "Do you read me?"

"Affirmative, Lieutenant!" came the brusque reply. "Where the hell are you?!"

"I'm in position, sir," said Maya as she armed the EMP grenade. "I've got an EMP grenade ready, stand by."

"Standing by, just get it done!"

"Tossing now!" Maya said as she threw the grenade.

The JAN terrorists noticed the grenade as it flew through the air and landed at the feet of their E-Web gunner, but it was too late to do anything about it. The EMP grenade went off, disabling the repeating blaster.

Now Brek and his men seized the advantage, charging the terrorists' position. Maya shot one of the JAN operatives in the head, further adding to their woes. Within seconds all of them were dead.

"Visari, get over here," Brek ordered.

As Maya ran to join her fellow Imperials, the ISB Captain contacted Kallus. "Overwatch, this is Brek," he said. "We're about to commence the assault on the target building, sir. Do you copy, over?"

"Copy, Captain," replied the older ISB officer. "You may commence the assault at your discretion. Be advised: I want Tyran alive, but if you can't capture the bastard, shoot to kill. Got it?"

"Acknowledged, sir," Brek responded. "I'll update you after securing the building. Brek out."

One of the Death Watch soldiers placed a breaching charge on the blast door then set the timer while her comrades prepared smoke grenades and flashbangs. After the door was blown inward, bullets and energy rounds raced through the opening, only to taper off if only briefly after the flashbangs went off.

Brek and Maya rushed into the room, gunning down multiple terrorists. Maya's rifle ran out of ammunition, prompting her to stun one JAN member by hitting him in the head with the butt of her weapon before punching him in the throat, breaking his windpipe. Brek, on the other hand, drew two batons and ended up stunning a handful of terrorists.

"Don't shoot, please!" A Devaronian stumbled into the open, hands raised above his head. Remarkably enough, half of one of his two horns appeared to have broken off. "Please don't kill me, I'm not a terrorist!"

Maya noted his green skin tone. Combined with the broken horn and a briefing she remembered Kallus giving her, and the ISB agent immediately trained her newly-reloaded rifle on his head.

"Cikatro Vizago?" she asked.

To his credit, the Devaronian criminal tried to play dumb. "How-."

"I see you're still selling to Rebel scum," stated Maya, cutting him off. "You're under arrest for crimes against the Empire, Vizago. Turn around and place your hands on your head."

Vizago complied. "This is a mistake, they-."

"-were buying weapons from you," interrupted Brek. "Now why don't you tell me where Tyran is before I try and get clearance to summarily execute you right here, right-."

A burst of laughter broadcast via the building's PA system cut off Brek. "It's remarkable what you can do with voice modulation software nowadays," said the haughty announcer. "You idiotic dogs have been led away from Tyran, not to him. Now die!"

Suddenly Maya heard a distinctive beeping. "It's a trap!" she said, shoving her Captain down. "Get clear-."

The explosion blew Maya off her feet and sent her flying into a wall. All she could feel before losing consciousness was pain and disbelief.

 ***CUT TO: CHOPPER BASE, CORAL MESA, ATOLLON***

After hearing of the discoveries made by Spectre Team, the Marines of Phoenix Base stood guard, weapons at the ready, while technicians worked to establish a perimeter defense of sensor beacons. The kryknas-spider-like predators that were resistant to blasterfire-had proven to be quite dangerous, but their avoidance of sensor beacons had led the Alliance leadership to make a logical conclusion.

"Good thinking on the beacons, Sabine," Kanan said. "We need this base, but having to fend off those creatures all the time would just be a drain on the troops."

"Thanks, Kanan, but you really need to talk to Hera," said Sabine.

"Huh?" he asked. "What's wrong, Sabine?"

Sabine sighed and even slapped her forehead before looking Kanan in the eye as best as she could. "Kanan, wake up! You're not a _di'kut_ , so you should know better than anyone else how Hera feels about you leaving with Ezra. She may agree with the mission, but that doesn't mean she likes it."

Knowing Sabine's words were as truthful as any statement about Hera's feelings, Kanan sought out his wife and found her near one of the two remaining Hammerheads. "Hera, I know how you feel about me going out with Ezra and Ahsoka without you and the rest of the team," he said.

"I know you've got a job to do, Kanan," Hera said, sounding more tired than she had in a while. "But I want us to face it together."

"I'm grateful you feel that way about this," Kanan said, "but I don't want you and the others getting killed by the Sith or their Inquisitors."

Hera shook her head and lowered her eyes. "So you're content with just yourself, Ahsoka, and Ezra dying, then?"

Kanan put a hand on her shoulder. "That's not what I meant at all. It's just that we have the Force and you guys don't, so that'll no doubt be the difference necessary for our survival. But you and everyone else can help get this base operational, and that's just as important. I promise you this, Hera-we'll see each other again."

The two hugged and kissed, and Hera walked with Kanan to wear _Phantom_ was parked, meeting up with Ahsoka and Ezra on the way. Diana stepped out of the fighter dressed in coveralls.

"General Tano," she greeted Ahsoka. " _Phantom_ is fixed up, fully fueled, and ready for takeoff. Actually did a check myself, ma'am. She's good to go."

Lucas handed a datapad to Ahsoka before saying, "Ma'am, all the relevant intel I could find for your mission is on this pad."

Admiral Ackbar stepped forward. "General, on behalf of Phoenix Fleet and the entire Alliance," said the Mon Calamari naval officer, "thank you so much. If it wasn't for your actions, our fight to free the galaxy would have been doomed to fail from the start."

Ahsoka nodded. "If not for the bravery and commitment of ordinary beings like yourself and your troops, Admiral," she said, "there would be no fight to restore freedom in the first place."

She then bowed before the assembled enlisted Rebels and their officers, who saluted in turn.

Altis clapped Ahsoka on the back as she walked to get onboard _Phantom_. "May the Force be with you, my young friend," he said. "You will doubtlessly need its blessing."

"Indeed," replied Ahsoka. "We all could use it right now."

Rex nodded. "But you three will need it the most, Ahsoka. If my gut's right, you'll kick the Sith's _shebse_ back to whatever dark corner of space they crawled out of and be back in time for Life Day. I can't wait to have you back."

Etain spoke up next. "Tell you what, Ahsoka," she said. "You all come back in one piece, Clan Skirata'll bake you up some _uj'alayi_. Trust me, you three will have earned it if you've taken down the Empire's _Dar'jetiise_ by the time you get back."

Ahsoka nodded her appreciation. "Thank you, everyone. There will be time for celebrations when we get back. Until then, stay safe, stand with your fellow Rebels, and trust in the Force. Good-bye."

Ahsoka, Kanan, and Ezra all boarded _Phantom_ and took off. The assembled Rebels-be they Jedi, Mandalorian, clone, or ordinary, naturally-born people-kept looking up into the sky until the fighter disappeared from view.

 **ME: I figured a team of technicians or Marines would make more sense for placing a sensor dish than using an A-wing pilot for it, though there is stuff like being able to fly out (though would an A-wing have cargo space?). Granted, the Rebels used speeder bikes on Atollon.**

 **Does anyone else not like how it turns out Sabine was apparently trained to be a weapons designer? I honestly guessed that the Empire was making her a Kallus-type at most, I don't think of Sabine as a Mary-Sue but that kinda stretched my suspension of disbelief. However, I do appreciate that she did get some nice development.**

 **I focused on Maya because I figured it'd be more entertaining and more original than adapting all of The Mystery of Chopper Base. If you guys think Vizago was cowardly, bear in mind that he was facing a bunch of Imperials, the majority of whom were Death Watch, with no thug droids backing him up. Given how I've had Hondo and Ezra steal Vizago's own ship and any droids he happened to have aboard, he probably would be desperate to recoup his losses.**

 **Now it's all but certain that I'll use Maul for the next chapter, for better or for worse. I wonder who the Imperial villains should be...maybe have this story's Grand Inquisitor show up? I do have one surprise up my sleeve, though.**

 **In case everyone's wondering why Altis, his Jedi, and the Clan Skirata Jedi didn't go with Ahsoka, Kanan, and Ezra, I couldn't really fit them in, especially since I don't have as much experience writing them. In-universe Ahsoka doesn't want all the Jedi to be wiped out and figures leaving behind some at Chopper Base or throughout the galaxy is a better idea.**

 **Anyhow, this may be my last update for a while, guys, though I'm honestly feeling better about school now. I hope this didn't suck.**


	52. Twilight of the Apprentice

**ME: Now time for the grand finale to The Empire Cracks Down. And with my history final around the corner and Season 3 done, not a moment too soon! Warning: This is gonna be a rather long chapter due to adapting a two-part episode. You guys better not say I didn't warn ya.**

There is a Force-sensitive warrior that was once a servant of my master, our Emperor and Dark Lord. Now he is a rogue independent-this warrior has no allies and is too weak to pose a threat to Darth Sidious, but he can hinder the Emperor's designs. Do not attempt capture-this particular target is to be eliminated without mercy or even pity.

 **(Darth Vader, apprentice of Darth Sidious, speaking to the Dark Assembly)**

"So," Ezra said in an awkward tone as _Phantom_ dropped out of hyperspace, "what's the big deal about this system?"

"The legends I were taught in the Temple tell of a Sith Lord, Darth Traya, who wanted to wipe out both the Jedi and the Sith, and also apparently wanted to destroy the Force itself," Kanan said as they headed towards Malachor IV. "Apparently she was defeated on Malachor Five, formerly the fifth planet in this system, but a number of historians dislike the main theory on what happened."

"What is known for certain is that a Jedi Knight named Meetra Surik, who came to be known as the Jedi Exile due to being expelled from the Order at one point for following Revan against the orders of the Jedi High Council, played an important part in galactic history," Ahsoka added. "Even if historians feel that time and mistakes have distorted her tale, there's always a bit of truth in legends. And Malachor Five apparently was destroyed given how, as you can see, an asteroid field is where it's supposed to be."

"Well, looks like we're about to make history ourselves," Ezra said as Phantom entered Malachor IV's atmosphere, somewhere unnerved at the idea that an entire planet could be destroyed by artificial means. _Hopefully the Empire won't get some superweapon with that kind of firepower, that would make Base Delta Zero trivial by comparison._ "Just to save the time of historians three thousand years from now, I'll be sure to set the record straight so they don't have to argue about what makes sense and what doesn't."

Chopper beeped in alarm. _I think we have company,_ the astromech said.

Kanan: "How many ships, Chop?"

 _I've detected one contact so far, can't make it out._

The former smuggler turned Rebel nodded and said, "Copy, try and identify it if you can but focus on keeping a lookout for additional ships. We cannot afford to be surprised here."

Kanan landed _Phantom_ on what looked like relatively stable ground. "Chopper, if you detect any more ships or get a fix on our bogey, you let us know," he said as he, Ezra, and Ahsoka disembarked.

 _Understood._

Together the three Jedi approached a dark monolith, ready to draw their weapons if they needed to defend themselves. Kanan stared at what looked like writing on the stone figure. "Hey, Ahsoka, can you read any of this?" he asked.

The older Jedi Knight studied the text, frowning as she did. "I'm no linguist, Kanan," the Togruta General said. "Hang on, this could take a while."

Meanwhile Ezra felt drawn to the monolith and extended his arm, hearing its calls through the Force. Kanan noticed his actions and tried to stop Ezra, but it was too late. The Padawan's hand touched the figure, creating a red-lit handprint on the monolith. The ground then collapsed beneath the trio, sending the Jedi falling through the newly-made hole. Luckily they were able to slow themselves down and deflect falling rocks with the Force, otherwise the Jedi Rebels would have been killed.

Getting to his feet, Ezra was about to apologize to the others when he noticed a structure in the distance. "Guys, what is that?"

"That," Ahsoka said, "is a Sith temple. In other words, like the one back on Lothal but all evil and shit. Too bad we didn't bring along a tac-nuke, otherwise I'd destroy this place after we get done with it." _After all,_ Ahsoka thought, _the less ancient knowledge for the Sith and their goons to learn, the better._

 _Hey, meatbags_ , Chopper said over their comlink channel. _It seems like the surface's integrity is weakening, you guys might end up falling through it if you aren't careful._

"Thanks for the warning, Chop," snarked Ezra as they proceeded deeper into the underground.

As the Jedi trio walked towards the temple, Ezra asked, "I don't know about you, Kanan, but if Master Yoda told us to go here, then I bet that temple contains what we're looking for. I mean, that's the logical conclusion, right?"

"I guess," Kanan said. "Just stay alert, if there's a ship poking around, we aren't alone down here." He then turned to the oldest and most experienced of the trio and said, "Ahsoka, didn't you say that we should be seeking out knowledge here before we dropped out of hyperspace?"

Ahsoka nodded. "Yes, I have a feeling knowledge is what we need to look for here. More importantly, what knowledge we're seeking is forbidden."

Kanan frowned. "Isn't that kind of knowledge dangerous?" he asked. "It had to have been forbidden for a reason, after all."

Ahsoka: "To defeat your enemy, you must understand them. But that doesn't mean we're gonna become Sith, it just means we'll be more informed about them and their Dark Jedi lackeys."

Ezra shrugged and said, "Well, we may as well go to this Sith Temple of Evil if we wanna learn more about those assholes. Not like we can look up what we need on the HoloNet."

As they continued moving towards the temple, Ezra felt a mysterious presence in the Force and thought he heard something. Scanning around with his eyes and reaching out into the Force, however, didn't result in him detecting anyone, so the Padawan opted to keep walking with Ahsoka and Kanan.

As the trio got closer and closer to their destination, they came across what looked like a number of petrified figures. "The ground looks scorched," commented Ezra before he noticed a pleasant surprise. "Whoa, Kanan!" said Ezra as he darted towards the cylindrical figure. "Look, a lightsaber! Wait, make that two lightsabers!"

Ezra picked up the first weapon he laid eyes on and activated it, bringing into existence one standard-sized green blade and two smaller ones projected from what looked like secondary emitters. However, before long the blades shorted out, the internal components of the lightsaber evidently damaged from what had to have been years and years of wear and tear. Ezra promptly clipped the weapon to his belt, figuring it could still prove useful.

"Ezra, are you gonna rob from a battlefield?" Kanan asked, dismayed. Spectre Team had frequently stolen Imperial property for the benefit of themselves and their fellow Rebels and ordinary beings suffering under the Empire, but grave-robbing was one thing Kanan didn't want to have on his conscience.

"We need to recreate the Jedi Order," Ezra pointed out. He then grabbed the second lightsaber he had seen with the Force. "Even if the parts are garbage after laying around here for Force knows how long, the crystals might still be good enough to be used in new lightsabers. Besides, it beats having to look for new crystals or make them on our own if we wanna train more Jedi to fight the Empire."

"He has a point," Ahsoka told Kanan. "Collect what weapons you can, but we better get moving." Ahsoka didn't like the idea of looting corpses anymore than Kanan did, but she was more practical on many matters than he was due to her experiences and apprenticeship under Anakin Skywalker, a very unconventional Jedi by the standards of the Order.

"Ahsoka, I wondered what happened here," Ezra asked as they began to leave the petrified figures behind, having taken what lightsabers they could.

"I skipped history class once or twice as a youngling, but it looks like Jedi Knights mounted an assault on the local Sith," she answered.

"Well, the Jedi won, right? Otherwise the Sith would still be in control of this place."

The Togruta Jedi Knight sighed. "From what I can tell," she said softly, "no one won that battle."

Ezra detected the same presence he had felt earlier and noticed a pair of red lightsaber blades flash into existence. "Shit, get down!" he said, shoving Kanan out of the way as he activated his own blade of blue plasma.

Ezra was able to intercept the masked figure's attack just in time. He then shoved the figure back while Ahsoka and Kanan activated their own lightsabers.

"Three Jedi?" the figure said. "Good, my master will be most pleased."

"An Inquisitor!" yelled Ezra, charging at the Imperial Dark Jedi.

The masked Dark Side Adept began to retreat, throwing a small, disk-shaped grenade as he did so.

"Take cover!" ordered Ahsoka, grabbing Kanan by the shoulder and trying to push the explosive away. However, it went off before getting too far away from Ezra. The Lothalian Jedi wasn't killed or even injured but a hole was created, leading to him falling through said and screaming as he plummeted.

Kanan: "Ezra!"

Ahsoka began to pursue the fleeing Dark Jedi. "You check on him!" she told Kanan. "I got this Sith-wannabe!" While Ahsoka didn't plan on underestimating their opponent, the figure seemed unusually inexperienced given what she had felt in the Force from him.

"Spectre Zero to Spectre Three, come in!" yelled Ahsoka into her comlink. "Be advised: We've been engaged by an Inquisitor, I say again, there is at least one Imperial Inquisitor underground! Do you copy, over?"

 _Copy that, Spectre Zero,_ Chopper replied, sounding genuinely concerned. _I'll keep an eye out for anymore Imperials, good luck._

"Ezra!" Kanan yelled through the hole. "Can you hear me?"

"Yeah," Ezra said. Had it not been for his last second use of the Force to protect himself, he'd have died or at least been severely injured on impact. "Thanks, Kanan, I'm fine. Thanks for asking."

"Hang on," Kanan stated, shutting off his lightsaber and clipping it to his belt so he could use both of his hands to lift Ezra up.

"Don't worry about me, Kanan!" Ezra shouted. "Go help Ahsoka, I'll catch up."

"Okay, stay safe!" replied Kanan before he turned and started running towards Ahsoka and the masked Imperial.

Ezra got to his feet, dusting himself off as he did. "Yeah, I'll catch up to you guys," he muttered. "Soon as I can figure out how to get out of here."

Maul resisted the urge to smile. After years and years of having to avoid challenging his former master and the Empire, Sidious's most prominent achievement, now he had a potential apprentice within his grasp. The former Sith Lord knew through the Force that the youth in his sights had potential but was relatively inexperienced and lacked extensive training. As a result, it would be relatively easy-though still not something to take likely-to convince the younger Force-sensitive to join him.

"I know my way around here, young one," Maul said, trying his best to keep his voice as soft and unthreatening as possible.

Ezra spun on his heel and drew his lightsaber, aiming it at Maul. "Identify yourself," he said, managing to maintain a level tone.

"Please put your weapon away," the hooded figure said. "I mean you no harm."

"Stay back," Ezra said in a low voice. "I'm warning you, old man. Don't come any closer."

Maul took a step forward. "I said-."

Ezra fired three shots that passed by Maul's head. "This is your last warning!" Ezra snapped. "The next one's hitting right between your eyes!"

Maul dropped his cane and held up his hands. "I'm sorry for not heeding your wishes, young man," he said. Normally he would have just choked the teenager to death, but the rogue Zabrak Dark Side Adept really needed an apprentice or even just another sentient to talk to after being on his own for so long. "I've been down here for who knows how long by myself, you're the first person I've seen, let alone spoken to, in quite some time."

Ezra snorted. "So you like down here alone? By yourself? Without any apparent sources of food or water?"

"Not by choice," Maul answered, "merely out of necessity. I have no remaining allies, so for so long I've lived alone. It hasn't been easy surviving down here, but I've managed."

"Look, I'm sorry," Ezra said sincerely. "I really am sorry for you, old timer, but I can't help you. I have to get back to my friends, I might be able to swing by with them later and get you off this rock."

Maul: "As much as I would appreciate being rescued by you and your friends, young one, you don't have to leave me behind. I believe I can help you."

Ezra resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I doubt that very much."

Maul fought down an angry impulse demanding that he torture the petulant youngling until he expired after hours of agony. "Why did you come here in the first place? This planet is not desirable for those seeking leisure or profit."

"I'm not gonna tell you why I came here, old man! For Force's sake, for all I know you're trying to lure me into a white repulsorvan!"

Maul shook his head. "No, I'm not trying to do that," he stated as calmly as he could manage. "I feel that you've come to this desolate world for the same reason I did. You seek knowledge."

Ezra thought things over for several seconds before speaking. "It's in the temple up top, isn't it?"

"Yes, and I know a way inside," said Maul. "B-but, but I'm too old, I'd need help to even try to get in at this point."

"Well, what's inside the temple?" asked Ezra. He still didn't trust the mysterious old man, who seemed to have red-and-black skin, but going along with him seemed an acceptable risk if it got him the knowledge he and the others were looking for.

"Come with me if you want to find out," Maul said simply.

Ezra walked over and picked up the cane for the old man. He didn't want to give away knowledge that he was a Jedi. "Show me to this passage," he said, "and I'll make sure you can leave this rock for good."

"Thank you for the offer," Maul said, pointing into the darkness. "Please, this way."

Ezra frowned. "You first."

"Do you not trust me?"

"Dude, I don't even know you."

 _This youngling,_ Maul thought, _is wiser than his age._ "Then we better change that," he said. "Call me...'Old Master.' And you?"

Ezra: "You can call me Jabba."

 _A start._ "Come then, Jabba," Maul said as he started walking.

After a few minutes of walking in the dark (Ezra had given his new companion a flashlight in order to illuminate their path), Ezra asked, "How much further?"

"You don't seem tired or impatient, so I presume you worry for your friends," Maul said.

"They need my help, old one. It's a dangerous galaxy out there."

 _You don't know the half of it, child._ "Yes, the Dark Jedi warrior they fight is a powerful adversary, if only one of many potential threats in this universe."

"Wait, you know about that Inquisitor?" Ezra questioned. _Looks like this guy hasn't been living under a rock...guess I'm right to not trust him._

"He is my enemy," Maul said. "In fact, all of the Empire's Dark Jedi and their superiors are my enemies."

Ezra sneezed before asking, "Were you a Jedi?"

"Um, no," Maul said, pleased that it sounded like he had been caught off guard. "But I was once a Force-wielding warrior long ago; though that time, and my prime with it, has passed."

"You're a Sith!" Ezra yelled as he activated his lightsaber.

Maul raised his hands, still keeping a grip on his cane and flashlight. "I am not a Sith Lord," he said, choosing to go for honesty. The best way to deceive someone, Maul knew, was to tell as much of the truth as possible while keeping outright lies to a minimum. "The Sith took everything from me. First they stole me from my homeworld and turned me into a weapon. Then they killed every loved one of mine that got in their way and cast me aside when I was no longer of use to them as a slave. They have taken everything from me and still won't rest until the day I die. Once I had a family, now I have no one."

Ezra lowered his lightsaber, feeling sympathy for Old Master. "I'm so sorry to hear that, Old Master," he said. "I can relate. The Empire took away my home, my mother, and my father. They took away everything from me!" Ezra began to let his anger and desire for justice flow through him rather than keep it bottled up. "Apparently the Empire's ruled by the Sith, and they haven't just ruined our lives and murdered our families, Old Master! They brought suffering and death to Lothal, my homeworld, and they're ruining the whole galaxy because they don't give a kark about anyone but themselves!"

Old Master nodded and told Ezra, "You want revenge like I do, then."

Ezra looked him in the eye as best as he could. "I want justice!"

"Yes, yes, and you shall have it, for I have discovered the key."

Ezra raised an eyebrow. "The key to what?"

"The key to destroying the Sith."

Ezra nodded and said, "So _that's_ the knowledge housed inside the temple, then?"

Maul: "Yes, that temple holds secrets of the Sith. Those secrets have been buried with the dead Sith of the battlefield above us for millennia, but now they will be rediscovered and the Sith Order will be finally brought down once and for all."

"And you'll really share this knowledge with me?" Ezra questioned, a hint of skepticism remaining in his mind.

"Of course, young one," Maul said, and he was telling the truth completely, without reservation. "Now we must move forward towards the temple."

Together the unlikely pair began walking up a flight of stairs.

 ***CUT TO: UNDERGROUND RUINS, MALACHOR IV***

The Imperial Dark Jedi crouched as he hid in the shadows before activating his encrypted comlink, having evaded the Jedi at least momentarily.

"This is Agent Beta-One to Command," he said. "Come in, Command."

"This is Command," said a distorted voice. "Go ahead, Beta-One."

"Command, I have discovered two Jedi on Malachor," Beta-One stated. "Repeat, there are at least two Jedi on Malachor Four. There was a third, but I was unable to confirm if he still lives or is dead."

"Is one of the Jedi a Togruta?"

"Affirmative, Command," Beta-One answered. He found the inquiry strange but did not question it, just as he had not questioned being ordered to memorize the appearance of the Togruta species. "One of the trio did look like a Togruta to me."

"Understood, Beta-One. I'll send reinforcements; in the meantime, avoid confronting the Jedi unless absolutely necessary. Is that understood?"

Beta-One didn't blink as he said, "I understand, Command."

"Good. Command out."

Beta-One put away his comlink. In his short life all he had known was serving his superiors, but he did not yearn for anything else. While Beta-One did maintain some sense of independence, for he would have otherwise made a poor Dark Jedi, the helmeted warrior still would obey the orders of his superiors without question, even if he was told to kill himself by them.

Beta-One tried to remain covert as he headed towards his TIE Advanced in order to secure it, but an orange-and-white astromech droid landed on top of his fighter. Snarling behind his helmet in anger, the Dark Jedi used the Force to knock the astromech off his starship.

"Filthy droid," he muttered, only to hear three lightsaber blades ignite into existence behind him.

Ahsoka decided to cut to the chase. "Here's the deal, Inquisitor," she said. "You have two options-you surrender and come quietly, or you don't surrender and we probably have to beat the shit out of you. One of these is the fun option, but not for you."

Beta-One activated his lightsaber. "I'd hate to ruin your fun," he taunted the two Jedi as he engaged his weapon's spinning mode.

As planned, Kanan engaged the Inquisitor, their blades clashing against each other. Ahsoka wanted to take the Imperial Forceful alive if at all possible, so she hung back and threw a rock at his head with the Force.

"Ugh!" Beta-One grunted in pain, even though his helmet had provided him with some protection from the rock's impact. Kanan then forced his opponent's blade upwards before kicking him in the groin. He and Ahsoka then used the Force to send Beta-One flying towards his TIE Advanced, with Ahsoka holding him in place while Kanan yanked away his lightsaber with the Force.

The Dark Side Adept ceased struggling. While Beta-One remained conscious, the pain the Jedi had caused him was proving to be a significant distraction and he had been disarmed, so the smart thing to do was to surrender to them in order to get their guard down and give his pain some time to subside. They may have defeated him, Beta-One knew, but that didn't mean they had won the day. Command had told him that reinforcements would be sent, and so Beta-One simply had to keep the Jedi occupied as much as possible until they arrived.

"Kanan, restrain him and get his helmet off," Ahsoka ordered. "Let's figure out who's hiding behind that bucket."

"With pleasure," Kanan said, snapping a pair of binders around the Inquisitor's wrists. He then grabbed the Dark Jedi's helmet with both hands and yanked it off.

 ***CUT TO: LOWEST ENTRANCE TO SITH TEMPLE, MALACHOR IV***

"Whoa," Ezra said as he and Old Master reached the top of the stairs and came into view of the lowest level of the Sith temple.

"'Whoa' indeed, young Jabba," Maul said. "This temple, regardless of one's views, is awe-inspiring, though frequently for very different reasons. For the Sith, this temple was a place of worship. For the Jedi, a weapon used against the galaxy's denizens and their own Order. Regardless, what we both want-no, _need_ -is deep within this temple."

"Just how do we get in since there doesn't seem to be any entrances in view?" Ezra asked, realizing he hadn't thought about how to deal with obstacles before.

"Two must lift the stone barriers with the Force," answered Maul. "No more, no less. That, Jabba, is the way of the Sith."

Ezra looked at him, a frown etched on his face. "For someone who the Sith treated as a disposable tool, you know an awful lot about these SOBs," he said.

Maul nodded. "It's simple, truly it is," he stated to Ezra. "To defeat your enemy, you must _know_ them. Even practice their beliefs. To understand your enemy is to know their strengths and weaknesses-that, Jabba, can mean the difference between victory or death."

"Well," said Ezra in an uncertain tone, "I'm pretty sure my master wouldn't approve of practicing the Sith's beliefs even if it was to defeat them."

Old Master bent down and looked him in the eye, his face shrouded by his hood. "Then he is doomed to fail in his efforts," the old man said in a matter-of-fact tone. He then adopted a more authoritative tone and said, "Now, young Jedi, help me raise this barrier."

Together the two Force-sensitive sentients got a grip on the stone barrier in front of them and tried to lift it with the Force. As Maul had said earlier, it would take two of them to lift up the barrier. However, despite focusing on his task as single-mindedly as possible, Ezra was unable to get the barrier to rise even with Old Master's help.

"I can't do it," Ezra said in resignation, ashamed of his own weakness. "I'm sorry, Old Master, but I'm not strong enough to help you lift this thing. It's too heavy."

Old Master looked at him, having ceased his own efforts. "Your anger is an untapped source of power. Use it and you will be strong enough to help me lift the barriers."

 _Wait,_ barriers _? As in plural?_

Even without that upcoming challenge, however, Ezra really didn't like the idea of letting his emotions run free considering what trouble his passion had gotten him into at times. "I was taught that a Jedi is never supposed to act out of emotion, with anger as the one emotion that's the most threatening," he told Old Master. "It leads to the dark side."

"Passions grants you strength, strength grants you power, power grants you victory," Maul told Ezra. Given Jedi ignorance, he thought the boy would not recognize that he was paraphrasing the Sith Code. "Through victory, Jabba, your chains are broken. Properly use the Force, young man, and it will set you free."

Ezra decided to follow the old humanoid's advice and made use of his anger, enabling the two to lift up the barrier in front of them together. Dust settled on the ground as the duo walked through the opening. They repeated their actions several times on the following barriers, letting go of ones they had already cleared in order to avoid sapping their concentration. Lifting up the stone barriers strained Ezra, and he used his increasing frustration as fuel for his anger.

As Old Master and Ezra took a break, the former decided to speak to the latter. "Unless you take risks, Jabba," Maul said, "there will always be limits to your abilities. Seize your goals, be they power, strength, knowledge, or victory. Do not become like me, old and weak on a forgotten world."

Ezra: "My name's Ezra." He coughed from some of the dust that had been thrown up due to the stone barriers being raised and allowed to drop back down. "My real name, that is," Ezra added quickly.

Old Master lowered his hood, clearly revealing that he was a Zabrak with red-and-black skin and yellow eyes. "I may have once had a real name like you, Ezra," he said. "But now all I am called is _Maul_."

 ***CUT TO: UNDERGROUND RUINS, MALACHOR IV***

Upon seeing their captive's mien, Kanan had dropped his helmet in shock and disbelief. "You...you look like me!" he stuttered out.

Indeed, Beta-One, to a casual observer, resembled Kanan, albeit at a younger age. He had the same brown hair and blue-green eyes, albeit with a paler complexion and with his irises appearing to be colder and more sinister than Kanan's.

Beta-One smirked, happy that his very appearance had unbalanced an enemy. "I am Beta-One, you Jedi traitor," he said. "Should I be please my lords, I will merely be the first of a new line of warriors brought into existence for the sole purpose of annihilating you and your insurrectionist cohorts."

Ahsoka frowned. "You resemble a younger version of my friend," she said. "Since both of Kanan's arms got cut off a while back, I can see the Empire making clones of him. However, Spaarti cloning technology takes about a year to grow a fully mature Human."

"My lords told me that I was created through an experiment," Beta-One said. "Not that it matters, for your oblivion, Jedi, is inevitable. Release me and give me my weapon back and I will make your deaths as swift and painless as possible."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "First off, fuck that," she said. "Second off, fuck you. Third off, why are you on Malachor in the first place? It can't have been to hunt us down, because Vader would have sent more experienced Inquisitors to take us out rather than inexperienced you all by yourself without backup."

Beta-One answered honestly. "I am looking for one who is now a shadow of his former self, though I was warned to expect you Jedi," he stated calmly. What he didn't mention was that he had summoned reinforcements; there was no need to give the Jedi any warning.

 ***CUT TO: HOLOCRON RELIQUARY, SITH TEMPLE, MALACHOR IV***

"Behold the key to the knowledge we both seek," Maul said as he and Ezra entered the reliquary. Contained inside was a holocron isolated from the rest of the room on a platform.

Ezra's eyes widened as he said, "It's a holocron."

Maul turned to him in genuine surprise. "You know of holocrons, Ezra?"

"Yeah, my master has one. Well, it looks different compared to this one, but still."

Maul: "Because this is a Sith holocron, and as such was created by them rather than the Jedi even if both passed knowledge down from one generation to the next with these devices."

Ezra rubbed his chin in contemplation. "How do we get to it?" he asked.

"Only someone with the courage to risk death can reach the holocron," said Maul. _So I have to convince the boy to do it in order to test his-._

"Throw me, then."

What? _Has my hearing deteriorated?_ "Pardon me, Ezra?" he asked. Maul could not believe that the boy was willing to risk falling to his death if it meant he had a chance of getting the holocron without a second thought.

"Yeah, throw me," Ezra said in a more forceful tone. "I take off running and jump and you use the Force to throw me. My master and I do it all the time-well, we've done it a few times, at least."

Maul did his best to look uncertain, prompting Ezra to say, "Look, Maul, we can do this. I trust you."

"Excellent." _I mean it, you trusting me will make things so much easier later on._ "I thank you for trusting in me, Ezra. I am ready when you are."

Ezra nodded, walked backwards, then started running towards the ledge. Maul threw him forward after he jumped, causing Ezra to skid when he landed on the platform but certainly preventing him from falling to his death.

Ezra took a few seconds to catch his breath before looking towards where the holocron was stored. Walking over, Ezra took a few seconds to admire the pyramid-style construct before reaching out and taking the levitating holocron. Unfortunately, mere seconds after he had started to smile about his achievement the temple began to shake and dust started to fall down. The platform itself began to rise upwards and transform while lightning began striking different parts of it.

"Jump!" Maul yelled, knowing both Ezra and the holocron would be lost if the boy stayed where he was.

"I won't make it!" Ezra shouted back, feeling more fear at the moment than he had jumping to the platform with Maul's help.

"Jump!" Maul repeated, louder than before. "You have to trust me, Ezra! It's the only way you'll survive!"

With the reluctance of a conscript who only agreed to involuntary servitude after being threatened with death or imprisonment, Ezra jumped off the platform. He screamed as he fell, only to be slowed down and rescued from certain doom by Maul.

"There was nothing to fear," said Maul after he made sure Ezra landed on his feet. He then put a hand on the Padawan's shoulder and said, "You were both courageous and right to trust in me despite fearing death."

"Thank you, Maul," Ezra said. "I mean it, I don't know what I'd do without you."

 ***CUT TO: EXTERIOR OF SITH TEMPLE, UNDERGROUND RUINS, MALACHOR IV***

"He's inside, I know it," stated Kanan in a concerned tone. "But how he got in this temple without anyone to help him open the door, I'll never know."

"He could've had help," Ahsoka pointed out.

Beta-One began to laugh. "Shut it, asshole!" Kanan snapped. "You're the one in cuffs here, not me or her."

 _Spectre Three to Spectre One, come in,_ Chopper said via comlink.

Kanan promptly answered. "Go, Spectre Three," he replied.

 _Heads up, Spectre One,_ Chopper said in a serious tone. _We got company, I repeat, multiple Imps incoming._

"Oh, fierfek," Ahsoka said as she looked into the distance.

A number of Imperials flew in on winged-thruster packs. Two of the Imperials were in charge of the others; one was a stout Human wearing Shadow Guard armor. The other was a white-skinned, gray-haired Zabrak with unsettling blue eyes and facial tattoos wearing robes.

Two Inquisitors, High Inquisitor Jerec and a Boltrunian named Maw, engaged Ahsoka, keeping her and her blades of white plasma at bay. Kanan would've tried to help but was occupied by Grand Master Sa Cuis of the Imperial Shadow Guard. Thanks to a series of acrobatic moves that would have made a Jedi Master proud, Grand Inquisitor Ja'ce Yiaso landed near Beta-One and sliced through the clone Dark Jedi's restraints, allowing the younger Dark Side Adept to retrieve his lightsaber from Kanan's belt.

"Thank you, Grand Inquisitor," said Beta-One.

"No, thank you, Beta-One," responded Yiaso. "At least three dead or captured Jedi in this excursion alone? Quite an excellent day's hunt, all thanks to your reconnaissance."

The fight proved difficult for both sides. Ahsoka was doubtlessly the most powerful combatant present, but she and Kanan were badly outnumbered and were forced to retreat.

Suddenly the door raised, and Ezra ran out, activating his lightsaber as he did. "Hold on, guys!" he yelled. "Don't worry, I brought help!"

Ahsoka looked over her shoulder to confirm what her Force senses were telling her and grimaced. "Maul," she said in a low voice.

Both Yiaso and Cuis paused. "It's him," Cuis said to his Inquisition counterpart. "Maul."

"Indeed, that's Darth Maul," agreed Yiaso. "It's a good thing we brought plenty of warriors."

" _Formerly_ Darth," the ex-Sith Lord said to the other Zabrak. "Now just Maul."

"Royal Guardsmen, prepare to engage," Cuis ordered the red-armored squad that had accompanied him and his Shadow Guards. "Sovereign Protectors, take down Maul."

Two men, both wearing red-and-black armor distinctive from that of both the normal Royal Guards and the Imperial Shadow Guard, nodded and charged, their double-bladed vibroweapons ready to slice into vulnerable flesh. Force-sensitives who had distinguished themselves as ordinary Royal Guardsmen, the Sovereign Protectors were eager to receive Dark Jedi training and were grateful for the opportunity to prove themselves to their superiors.

Maul, however, rightly regarded the duo as no challenge to him. First he threw his cane at the Protector on his left before drawing a double-bladed lightsaber.

The Protectors' solid and silvery blades met the red plasma ones of Maul's weapon. Using both his own physical strength and the Force to hold his enemies at bay with one hand gripping his lightsaber, Maul directed his free hand at the Imperial on his right and clenched his hand into a fist. The action crushed his opponent's heart, leaving the Sovereign Protector to fall down and die in agony. The surviving one was distracted by his ally's death, allowing Maul to seize a grip on his hilt before decapitating him in one swift stroke.

"Oh, _kriff_ ," Jerec commented as he and Maw once again clashed blades with Ahsoka. "There goes Cuis's fantasy grav-ball team."

"Royal Guardsmen, advance and fire!" Cuis ordered, shoving Kanan back. "Concentrate all fire on Maul! Everyone else, focus on the Jedi!"

The Royal Guardsmen did as they were ordered, moving in and blasting away at Maul. The Zabrak Dark Side Adept simply blocked their shots with his lightsaber and the Force, even deflecting a shot into the throat of one of the Guardsmen.

"Switch to stun rounds!" the squad leader called out. "He can't hope to deflect those!"

Unfortunately for the Royal Guardsmen, even that would not save them. Maul knocked half of the surviving Guardsmen down with a single Force push before leaping towards the half still on their feet. What followed was a brutal slaughter that would have unnerved all but the most hardened and ruthless of warriors. The last surviving Royal Guardsmen drew a baton and took Maul on, briefly forcing the Zabrak Forceful on the defensive. Not wanting to waste time adjusting his tactics to deal with a fairly ordinary opponent, Maul simply reached out with the Force and broke his enemy's neck with a flick of his wrist, leading to a fairly swift if unpleasant death.

"What's that shadow of a warrior even doing here?!" yelled Maw before Ahsoka knocked him on his back with the Force.

"Maul must know of this temple's value," suggested a Shadow Guardsman.

"We need to fall back," said Grand Inquisitor Yiaso as he struck at Ahsoka.

"Agreed," Cuis stated. The deaths of the Royal Guardsmen and the Sovereign Protectors, combined with the appearance of their killer and what the Grand Master felt in the Force, proved that the red-and-black Zabrak was Maul and not some random Dark Jedi. Shortly afterwards the Imperial Inquisitors, Shadow Guards, and Beta-One retreated away from the battlefield, leaving their fallen allies behind along with their enemies.

Ahsoka didn't miss a beat, knowing Maul, even if he really was no longer a Sith, could not be trusted. "What's your endgame, asshole?" she asked.

Maul turned around and did his best to look her in the eye, though he wisely did not approach with his lightsaber activated. "The endgame, Miss Tano," he said. "The endgame."

Kanan shook his head. "Look, Maul," he said, "I severely doubt you have a good reason for us to let you stick around, but you obviously aren't an Imperial, so I suggest you leave. Right now we have bigger fish to fry."

"I have two good reasons for you to tolerate my presence," the Zabrak replied. "First, those Imperials are enemies for both you and I and every second we waste arguing with each other is another second they have to plot against us. Second, odds are those dogs will inform Vader."

"Vader?" asked Ahsoka. "How the hell do you know he'll show up?"

"You think those minions of his will hesitate to inform him of us?" retorted Maul. "One former Sith, two Jedi, and someone who used to be Anakin Skywalker's Padawan? Believe me, Vader will not be able to resist us."

"There is no _us_ , Maul," Kanan told him plainly. "Also, dealing with the Inquisition and Shadow Guard is one thing, trying to take out Vader's another." He then lifted up his wrist comlink to say, "Spectre Three, prep for immediate extraction. It's time to pack it up."

"Are you really that much of a coward, Jedi?!" snapped Maul in a frustrated tone before Chopper could reply. "Are you seriously passing up a chance to defeat the enemies that slaughter your friends?"

"'Coward' is a bit much coming from the guy who's been hiding out here for Force knows how long," Kanan shot back. "We, on the other hand, have been out in the galaxy making a diff-."

"Guys, quit it!" Ezra interceded. He then turned to Kanan and pulled out the Sith holocron he and Maul had retrieved. "Look, Kanan, Maul and I got this holocron together! Isn't that why we came to this rock in the first place? To get the knowledge we need to defeat the Sith?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "Ezra, that's a Sith holocron, not a Jedi one," she pointed out. "Therefore no one here but Maul stands a chance of opening it."

"Sith holocrons are keys," said Maul. "They can open many doors. In this case, we can use this holocron to unlock this temple."

"How?" asked Ezra. "Please tell us, Maul."

"There's a chamber near the very top of the temple," Maul said. "There's an obelisk within said chamber. Connect the holocron to it and the ancient knowledge of the Sith will be unlocked."

Ahsoka frowned. "Then why do you need all of us in the first place, Maul?" she asked. "It can't be because you want company."

Maul sighed. "It pains me to admit this," he said, "but I am not strong enough to defeat the Sith on my own. Neither are you three, but united we can destroy Vader and his master."

Ahsoka looked at Kanan and Ezra. "I'm gonna be honest, guys," she began. "Chances are all of us will end up dead or worse if we take these bastards on here. But the galaxy's counting on us, so it looks like we have to bite the bullet. Ezra, I already know you trust Maul a lot more than I like. Kanan, what's your take?"

Kanan sighed and raised Chopper via comlink. "Chop, cancel the extract," he said. "Looks like we're gonna have to stick around for awhile, do you copy?"

 _What?_ the old astromech protested. _Surely you can't be serious, staying around Sith-karking-central is a bad kriffing idea!_

"I know, I like this plan even less than you do," replied Kanan. "Just keep a low profile and watch out for additional ships, there's a good chance we've got more Imps incoming."

 ***CUT TO: UNDERGROUND RUINS, MALACHOR IV***

"This is Command," said Beta-One's superior from his encrypted comlink. "Go ahead, Beta-One."

"Command, be advised," Beta-One said in a low voice. "In addition to the Jedi, I spotted Darth Maul. Repeat, Target Maul is on Malachor Four, I visually confirmed it."

"Please confirm the presence of Darth Maul on Malachor Four, Beta-One," replied Command.

"Confirmed, Command. That rogue Zabrak is on this barren world."

"Acknowledged. Do not attempt to capture Maul, Beta-One. He is to be terminated with extreme prejudice. Is that understood?"

Beta-One: "Affirmative, Command. I will show Maul no mercy."

"Good. Command out."

Cuis and Yiaso addressed the Dark Jedi group. "We have spoken with both His Imperial Majesty and Lord Vader," Yiaso began. "The latter is on his way to eliminate Maul and the Jedi as we speak."

"However," Cuis added, "Lord Vader has indicated that he will appreciate anyone who wears down our enemies for him."

Jerec stepped forward. "My lords," he said, "I have learned via seeker droids that the Jedi Padawan-the blue-haired youngling, that is-possesses the temple's Sith holocron."

"We cannot allow him to use it," butted in Maw, hoping to earn points with his superiors by riding on Jerec's coattails.

"Of course not, you incompetent simpleton," Yiaso reprimanded Maw, beating Jerec to the punch.

Beta-One decided to take action. "I will reclaim the artifact," he said before flying off.

"After him," Jerec ordered Maw. He had originally planned on bringing his apprentice, Dhara Leonis, as an expendable distraction for any potential enemies, but the girl was still largely untrained and would probably be more of a liability than an asset, plus it wouldn't reflect well on him to lose his apprentice.

"Let him go," Yiaso countermanded. When both Jerec and Maw turned towards the Grand Inquisitor, he said, "Let him fight our foes on his own. We can be the ones to retrieve Lord Vader's prize instead."

Seeing the logic in his superior's words, Jerec smirked. Beta-One could prove to become a rival for Vader's favor, and while Jerec and his fellow Inquisitors could not act against him directly, it wouldn't be their fault if the Dark Lord's latest akk dog ended up dead due to rushing off on his own initiative.

 ***CUT TO: EXTERIOR OF SITH TEMPLE, MALACHOR IV***

Maul had led them to a wall. "Now what?" Kanan asked Maul, figuring it was a dead-end.

Maul laid his hand on one part of the wall, which promptly began to recede into the ground.

"Wow," Ezra said, admiring the stone elevator that had been commanded to move by the Force.

Both Ezra and Maul got on top of the stone elevator when it had finished receding into the ground. Kanan moved to join them, only for Maul to raise a hand. "Only two may ride," he told the Jedi Knight. "No more, no less."

"Well, Ezra and I are a set, so we go together," said Kanan in a firm tone as he looked Maul in the eye unwaveringly. Annoyed but not wanting to antagonize his temporary Jedi ally at this point, Maul got off the elevator's top and allowed Kanan to board.

"Hey, Ahsoka," Kanan asked the older Jedi, "you okay riding with Grandpa?"

"Don't worry, Kanan, I'll be fine," Ahsoka answered while giving Maul a sharp look. Maul simply turned his attention to the temple's wall before touching it with his hand, sending Kanan and Ezra on their way.

"Ezra, listen to me," said Kanan once they were out of earshot, "Maul's using you."

Ezra: "Forcedammit, Kanan? When the kriff are you gonna trust me to think for myself? Or listen to my instincts?"

Kanan shook his head. "I trust you, not Maul. He may not be a Sith Lord anymore, but the guy's still a dark sider. You saw what he did back there to those Imperials."

"They were trying to kill us, and the survivors who ran away are still gonna try to chop our heads off! Besides, you can't see what I could be, but Maul does."

Kanan sighed and said, "He'll tell you anything if it means-." Kanan then noticed Beta-One approaching and yelled for Ezra to get down, drawing and igniting his lightsaber as he did so.

Beta-One made sure both of his feet landed on Kanan's chest, sending him stumbling backwards. The Dark Jedi clone then Force-pushed Kanan into a wall, knocking him out.

Angered, Ezra activated his own lightsaber and attacked Beta-One. However, while Ezra had more experience than Beta-One, he was unsettled by the fact that he was fighting a clone of his master and father figure. As a result, Beta-One was able to hit Ezra in the back with a Force-enhanced kick and send him flying to the edge of the stone floor.

As Ezra held on for dear life, Beta-One made sure his blade was mere centimeters away from his hand. "The holocron, give it up!" he said to him. "Give it to me!"

Ezra summoned up enough courage to spit in Beta-One's face. Annoyed, the Dark Side Adept shut off his lightsaber's plasma blades and deployed a series of razor-sharp blades. "Give me the holocron now, Jedi," said Beta-One in a low voice as the blades began to rotate, creating an improvised saw.

Ezra closed his eyes. _Calm down, you can totally pull a landing,_ he thought to himself. _Even if he slices off your fingers._

Fortunately enough, Maul and Ahsoka arrived with their weapons active. "Hang on, Ezra!" shouted Maul as he charged at Beta-One.

Beta-One was able to reactivate his blades just in time to save himself from being killed by Maul. While it would be far more practical to simply crush the clone's windpipe, Maul wanted Ezra to have someone to brutally murder himself and Beta-One was in no way a real threat to Maul, so he simply blasted him away from the Force. As a result, Beta-One recovered and activated his winged-thruster pack, flying off into the distance.

As Maul pulled Ezra up, the Inquisitors and Shadow Guards could be heard flying to the other side of the pyramidal temple. "Looks like the Imps figured out your plan," Kanan noted dryly.

"Then we shall alter it," Maul replied calmly. "I propose that we split up into two groups and scale the temple from both sides, which will force our enemies to divide their own numbers."

"And what, Ezra goes with you?" inquired Kanan rhetorically. "No thanks."

"Given how you need Miss Tano more than I do, it is the logical choice," Maul replied. "That way both groups will be relatively powerful and less unbalanced. If you worry for Ezra's safety, what could I gain from killing him when we are separated from you and Tano aside from your ire?"

"I say we split up like Maul suggested, trust me," said Ezra to Kanan. "C'mon, Kanan, he said it himself that it makes more sense his way."

Kanan sighed and frowned before saying, "Fine, Maul. But if Ezra dies because of you, you'll regret it."

"As I said before, I have no reason to kill Ezra," Maul said before Ezra could speak. He then gestured to a stone lift and got on top of it with the Lothalian Padawan. "There's another lift on the far side of the temple, we'll rendezvous with each other on the next level." Maul then put his hand to the wall, causing the lift to begin ascending.

Kanan stared after the two as they rose into the air before Ahsoka laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Ezra will be fine, Kanan," she said.

"How do you know that?" he asked, more bitterly than he intended. But before Kanan could apologize, Ahsoka smiled at him.

"You taught him, Kanan, so he'll be fine."

 ***CUT TO: ASCENDING STONE LIFT, NEAR SIDE, SITH TEMPLE, MALACHOR IV***

Maul decided to use their time on the lift to familiarize Ezra with the philosophical lessons he had learned as Sidious's former Sith Apprentice. While Maul had disavowed his former master and cast aside his title of Darth out of disgust with having been discarded despite having been his invaluable instrument for much of his life, he would not let the philosophy of the Sith go to waste.

"The dark side fights without mercy and without remorse," Maul began. "If you want to be victorious, you need to find the same strength inside you or you will be defeated by the Sith and their thugs."

Ezra frowned uncertainly. "Kanan always said fighting is a last resort, not a first," he said. "Jedi are supposed to seek nonviolent resolutions to conflict."

"Ezra, the Force gifted you with your abilities for one reason," responded Maul. "To use them, and you need to use them well. Besides, will diplomacy defeat your enemies, or will they simply laugh? I only ask these questions and tell you this because I need to be able to count on you. Can I?" As he finished talking, Maul put a hand on Ezra's shoulder in an effort to gain the younger Forceful's sympathy.

As the lift slowed to a stop, the pair were ambushed by a quartet of seeker droids. Together Ezra and Maul were able to take them all out seconds before a disc lightsaber came spinning towards Ezra, who blocked the attack just in time. It turned out to be the weapon of one of the Inquisitors, Maw, who was accompanied by Cuis and four of his Shadow Guard subordinates.

"Well, if it isn't the Jedi fresh meat!" Maw taunted Ezra. "Come to die like your parents, boy?"

"Shadow Guards, on me!" yelled Cuis. "We will deal with Maul, Inquisitor! You have the Padawan all to yourself!"

Maul smiled coldly as he and Cuis clashed blades. "You know one disadvantage of a lightsaber pike, dog?" Maul sneered.

Cuis snorted behind his helmet. "There are no disadvantages to the weapon Lord Sidious chose for the most elite of his personal guard, traitor," he shot back.

Maul grabbed the lightsaber pike with one hand. "This is a disadvantage!" the former Sith Lord said as he yanked Cuis, who was stunned by Maul's unexpected move, closer to him. Maul then cut the Grand Master in half vertically.

 ***CUT TO: ASCENDING STONE LIFT, FAR SIDE, SITH TEMPLE, MALACHOR IV***

Ahsoka and Kanan stood back-to-back as their lift ascended to the next level of the temple. Ahsoka had insisted upon it out of pragmatism; it was likely that the Imperials would attempt to ambush them, and their winged-thrusted packs meant that there was a good chance of an aerial attack.

As predicted, both Yiaso and Jerec attacked the Jedi as their lift made it to the level, though Ahsoka had kept her lightsabers in hand and thus ignited her blades just in time to stop them. On Ahsoka's order, Kanan leaped over the Inquisitors as the lift began to descend again and found himself confronted by five Shadow Guards. Adding to the woes of him and Ahsoka was Beta-One, who landed nearby and entered the fray.

"Spectre One to Spectre Three, be advised," Kanan said into his comlink as he put his back to the wall in order to avoid being ambushed. "This mission is officially KUBAR, repeat, it's all gone to hell."

 ***CUT TO: NEAR SIDE, EXTERIOR OF SITH TEMPLE, MALACHOR IV***

"Good, Ezra," Maul said as he advanced towards the young Jedi and his opponent. The four Shadow Guards that had come with Cuis and Maw had proven to be easy prey, even if they had been more difficult to kill than the Sovereign Protectors. "Use your passionate feelings. Use your anger, use your pain. Let it all fill you up, let it be the fuel you need for true power."

Ezra forced Maw back, surprising the aging Inquisitor, who had not been taking the engagement very seriously. Annoyed, the Dark Jedi snarled and prepared to cut down his teenage opponent, only to be lifted into the air and begin choking.

"No!" pleaded Maw. "No, NO, NOOO!"

"Strike him down, Ezra," Maul said coldly. "You want to end the threat this Imperial poses to your friends and yourself? Then finish him off!"

Ezra moved in to execute Maw, his anger and hatred towards him strengthened by Maul's words. However, the Lothalian Padawan couldn't summon up the strength to kill the pleading Maw when he was essentially helpless.

"I can't," Ezra said, deactivating his lightsaber. "I'm sorry, Maul, but I just can't do it."

Maw smirked, only to scream in horror as Maul threw his lightsaber towards him out of frustration. The twin red blades sliced Maw in half. However, Maul kept holding the top half in the air while using the Force to ensure that his lightsaber burned away the top of Maw's head.

Ezra resisted the urge to vomit as Maul deposited Maw's mutilated remains in front of him. "The next time you hesitate like that," Maul said in a stern tone, "it may very well cost you your life." He then softened his voice as he said, "Or the lives of your friends. You don't want your friends to die because of indecision on your part, Ezra. Right?"

"Of course not," replied Ezra.

"Good, I always knew you were someone dependable," complimented Maul. "Look back and see that all five of my opponents were eliminated by my own efforts, I did all of that without help from anyone. That is because I used my emotions to fuel me and did not hold back. Now we must hurry, I fear Ahsoka and Kanan are in danger."

The two ran towards the sound of lightsaber blades clashing and thus were able to overlook Ahsoka and Kanan still combating the surviving Imperials. The battle was not going well for the Jedi Knights. Neither side had suffered casualties, but the Imperials were making use of their superior numbers. Ahsoka was occupied dealing with Jerec and Yiaso, preventing her from aiding Kanan, who himself had to fend off attacks from both Beta-One and the ranking Shadow Guard. The four other surviving Shadow Guards kept their distance, but at this rate wouldn't be needed if their Jedi enemies were defeated by simple exhaustion.

"What should we do?" asked Ezra. Sure, them reinforcing Ahsoka and Kanan would mean that the Imps would still outnumber their side, but two-to-one odds were still better than four-to-one odds.

"I will handle this," Maul told him. "Take the holocron and place it into the obelisk. That way, the temple will be activated and we will gain the knowledge that is essential not only for victory but for our very survival."

"Got it, I'll meet you up top," Ezra responded. "May the Force be with you, Maul."

The two went their separate ways, with Ezra running off towards the topmost part of the temple and Maul leaping into battle.

The four Shadow Guards that had been standing around watching laid their eyes upon Maul after he landed. Maul ignited one of his lightsaber's blades, and calmly beckoned to the quartet with his free hand.

They charged as one. Maul knocked three of them off their feet with a blast of Force energy and locked blades with the fourth. Grabbing the Shadow Guard lightsaber's hilt with one hand as she tried to pull back, Maul rotated his own weapon then activated his second blade, sending red plasma towards the Shadow Guard's helmeted head.

Yiaso, Jerec, Beta-One, and the ranking Shadow Guard could only watch as Maul mercilessly butchered his opponents with ease. Breaking off to help would only reduce the burdens of their enemies and risk death from not focusing their attention on them, so the four surviving Imperials were forced to continue fighting Kanan and Ahsoka.

Shortly after Maul had slaughtered the quartet of Shadow Guards that had charged him, the Zabrak Dark Side Adept raced towards Jerec, forcing him to block Maul's attack. In order to deal with Maul's twin blades, Jerec drew his disc lightsaber and activated one of the blades, enabling him to hold off all of Maul's blades simultaneously.

"You're not the only one who can use multiple blades, you shadow!" Jerec taunted.

Maul didn't reply verbally. Instead, he leaned forward and bit Jerec's face. The Miraluka Inquisitor began to scream, his cries of pain intensifying in strength as Maul pulled away and tore off flesh from Jerec's right cheek. Maul fired Force lightning from his left hand into Jerec, the increased pain causing him to lose focus before Maul knocked him to the ground and stabbed into his chest.

Ahsoka was able to put Yiaso on the defensive once he no longer had Jerec to back him up, freeing her to use both of her lightsabers against the older Forceful. While the Grand Inquisitor was a deadly opponent, Ahsoka was younger even if she wasn't as experienced as the white-skinned Zabrak. After a series of blows, Ahsoka raised up her right foot and sent one Force-enhanced kick to Yiaso's chest, sending him tumbling towards the edge of the level. The Grand Inquisitor was able to grip the stone edge with one hand and leaped back up, only for one of Ahsoka's blades to make it past his defenses and pierce his chest.

Yiaso gasped as he died, feeling like he was on fire as the white plasma cauterized the entry and exit wounds made by the blade and burned his innards. Ahsoka shut off the lightsaber that had dealt the death blow, allowing Yiaso's corpse to fall to its knees before the rest of the body hit the cold stone floor.

Now numbers were on the side of the Jedi and their temporary ally, even if that advantage was slight. However, both Beta-One and the sole surviving Shadow Guard knew that they could not win the battle now.

"GO!" the last Shadow Guard said to his one remaining ally. "Tell the Emperor of what has transpired here, I will hold them off!"

Beta-One nodded and took off, his pack's wings sliding into place horizontally while the thrusters activated. However, he would not get too far. Maul cut down the Shadow Guard as he locked blades with Kanan before throwing Jerec's disc lightsaber at Beta-One. The spinning blades damaged the right wing and the pack itself, and the Dark Jedi clone screamed in terror as he fell, unable to even glide and his death all but certain.

Not skipping a beat, Maul promptly attacked Kanan without a word. Part of him wanted to kill Ahsoka first, for the female Togruta was definitely the more threatening of the Jedi, but chances were that the younger and more inexperienced Kanan would be more likely to die from a surprise attack and he didn't want to have to deal with both of them at once. Kanan did his best to hold off Maul's ambush, but the strength, speed, and surprise in it led to plasma being forced into his face. Kanan screamed throughout the excruciating experience of feeling his flesh being burned and the destruction of his eyes.

Ahsoka promptly counterattacked, so Maul blocked her strikes before shoving her away and backflipping. "Ezra, who is my new apprentice," Maul said, "is currently busy activating this temple. Or, to be more precise, this Sith Planetary Battle Station! With the weapon that was erected here long ago, I will be able to exact my revenge on all my enemies! The Sith, their allies, any surviving Jedi-ALL WILL SUFFER AND DIE!"

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes. _Kriff, from what I heard as a youngling, Maul didn't talk much. Now he's monologuing like some spy film villain._

 ***CUT TO: TOP CHAMBER, SITH PLANETARY BATTLE STATION, MALACHOR IV***

Ezra smiled as he approached the obelisk. After everything he and the others had been through, the end was now finally in sight. Taking out the holocron, he sent it gently towards the obelisk with the Force until it was clear that the obelisk could levitate the holocron on its own. Once in place, lightning began to spark off the holocron before the points of it came off and a field of blue energy surrounded the holocron. There was a flash of light, and lightning now flowed into the holocron and away from it.

"Who comes forth?" a female voice asked.

"Uh, me," Ezra said, doing his best to get rid of his own nervousness. "I am Ezra, Ezra Bridger. I was told that this holocron is the key to knowledge."

"Indeed, Ezra Bridger," the voice said. "And do you know what knowledge is?"

"Tell me, please tell me," Ezra told the voice. "Please, I need to know what it is."

"Knowledge...IS POWER!"

Suddenly there was a blinding flash, forcing Ezra to shut his eyes and shield them with his forearm.

 ***CUT TO: FAR SIDE, EXTERIOR OF SITH PLANETARY BATTLE STATION, MALACHOR IV***

"The power housed within this temple will be mine!" exclaimed Maul, for both of them had seen the burst of energy that had come from the top chamber of the temple. "Ezra will be mine! Revenge will be mine! All will be mine, Tano, and there is nothing you can do to stop me!"

Their blades repeatedly clashed, neither combatant gaining an advantage over the other. As Ahsoka positioned herself so that she could fight Maul while being able to keep an eye on Maul at the same time, she saw that the younger Rebel had not only retrieved his lightsaber but had put on a face mask to protect himself.

Feeling as though Kanan could handle himself thanks to the fact that Maul would doubtlessly underestimate him, Ahsoka leaped backwards, her feet landing on a flight of stairs. "Running away again, Miss Tano?" taunted Maul.

"You wanna finish fighting me?" she shot back. "You're gonna have to finish fighting with him first."

Maul turned around, snorting as he found Kanan wearing a Jedi mask scavenged from the battlefield. _What does he think that will do?_ "Go get Ezra," his blinded enemy said. "I got this prick."

Maul did his best not to laugh at the comical situation he faced. "I will make this quick, Jedi," he said. "Now hold still, your pain will be over a lot quicker that way."

Kanan didn't talk, relying on his Force-enhanced hearing and other senses now that his eyesight was gone. He kept his movements to a minimum, knowing any sounds he made increased the already significant odds that he would die.

After a brief assessment of his foe, Maul ran towards him, eager to get things over with. However, after a few blocked strikes, Kanan was able to get a firm grip on Maul's wrist. He then pulled him forward and planted his foot on Maul's backside before giving his Zabrak enemy a push.

"SON OF A BITCH!" cursed Maul as he fell forward and towards the ruins, knocking over a petrified corpse as he did so.

Kanan fell to his hands and knees, feeling both exhausted and relieved. He then heard Chopper beeping from his comlink.

"Chopper, am I glad to hear you," Kanan said. "We need immediate extraction, I say again, we need an extract. Do you copy, over?"

 _Wait, why do you sound-never mind, there's an inbound TIE fighter heading underground. Repeat, we have an incoming TIE headed underground._

"A TIE fighter?" he replied. "Shit, I gotta get to Ezra and Ahsoka, come pick me up. Get the hyperdrive online, we'll need to jump as soon as we clear the planet."

 ***CUT TO: TOP CHAMBER, SITH PLANETARY BATTLE STATION, MALACHOR IV***

"I've been waiting a long time for someone like you to awaken me," the voice said.

"What's happening?" Ezra asked as lightning sparks continued to shoot from the obelisk in several directions.

"The activation of this battle station, Ezra Bridger. The power to destroy life is now at your command."

"NO, NO, NO! This is not what I wanted! I wanted knowledge, not control of some superweapon!"

The voice coming from the holocron remained level as she said, "Then perhaps the other Forceful who approaches will claim the power of this battle station instead. What you do is now irrelevant."

"Shit, Maul!" said Ezra. He then started to run for the outside. "Kanan, Ahsoka! Maul tricked us, I repeat, it's all a trick! This whole temple, it's actually a weapon!"

However, as Ezra made it outside, he didn't find Kanan or Ahsoka. Instead he was Vader flying in on top of a TIE fighter that had the hatch open. One hand held an ignited lightsaber, the other was aimed towards the cockpit as thought to control the fighter with the Force.

Ezra backed up, doing a remarkable job of not pissing his pants and running away screaming for his mother. Vader leaped from the TIE and landed on the platform. As he landed, Ezra opened fire with his lightsaber's blaster, sending seven stun rounds towards Vader. However, six of them were intercepted by Vader's blade, with the one that dig get past his lightsaber dissipating harmlessly against his armor.

"W-what?!" asked Ezra, shocked at what had occurred.

"Before you ask, I reinforced my armor against stun shots to prevent a repeat of our encounter on Lothal," Vader said in his distinctive baritone. "That was clever of you, but do not think it will work again. However, activating this temple is a most impressive achievement for one so young and inexperienced yet with so much untapped potential. Tell me, Ezra Bridger-how did you accomplish this?"

"You're smart," Ezra snarled. "Figure it out, dickhead!"

He then attacked Vader, his blue blade of plasma clashing against Vader's own red one. However, to say that things were skewed heavily in Vader's favor would be an understatement. The Dark Lord simply blocked Ezra's strike and forced his blade downwards before punching Ezra in the face, breaking his nose and sending him stumbling backwards. Admirably, Ezra tried holding his ground but the pain distracted him and he was disoriented from the punch, so Vader was able to slice his lightsaber in two without much of an effort then send him to the floor with a Force push.

"I thought you would die braver than most who have faced me and fallen," said Vader, preparing to execute Ezra, as he flinched and tried to shield himself. "Evidently I was wrong."

"That wouldn't be a first time for you."

Vader halted his actions and turned to find a Togruta woman in her early thirties. "Ahsoka?" he asked, hoping she would turn out to be just another Jedi he had little to no connection with.

"So you know my name," Ahsoka spat venomously. "Good for you, _monster_."

"It was foretold that you would be here," Vader said in a more diplomatic tone. "Our long-awaited meeting has come at last."

"I'm glad I gave you something to look forward to, Sith trash," she snarled. "By the way, I killed your Grand Inquisitor. He was a Zabrak like Maul, only with white skin and blue eyes. But Sith care nothing for the deaths of others so long as they serve your selfish purposes, so I bet you're just annoyed that you have to find a new attack dog and file out the datawork."

"That is incorrect," stated Vader. "Yiaso was a good warrior who helped maintain order throughout the galaxy by taking down threats to the Empire. We need not be adversaries, Ahsoka. The Emperor will show you mercy and pardon you for your crimes if you tell me where the remaining Jedi can be found."

Ahsoka: " _I'm_ the criminal here?! Besides, you're just saying that so I'll give up and you can kill me easier. There are no Jedi left, you, your Inquisitors, and your Emperor's Shadow Guard murdered everyone who survived Order Sixty-Six."

Vader shook his head. "I know that to be a lie, Ahsoka. Do not attempt to deceive me." He then turned his attention to Ezra, who had managed to staunch his nose's bleeding. "If you insist on not cooperating, perhaps this youth will confess what you will not."

"You know, I thought I had a good idea of who you are beneath the helmet and the armor," said Ahsoka, her voice low with rage. "But obviously I was wrong, since there's no way my master could be as vile as you."

"Anakin Skywalker was a weakling who would only hold civilization back," replied Vader as he faced Ahsoka once again. "So I destroyed him for the greater good."

"Then I will avenge his death."

 _Oh, Snips, if only you knew._ "Revenge is not the Jedi way." Vader did his best to keep his voice neutral.

Ahsoka bared her teeth and yelled, "You are no Jedi and I'm no Jedi! I stopped being a Jedi a long time ago thanks to people like you!"

Both Force-sensitive fighters ignited their lightsabers, and Ahsoka charged at Vader, taking advantage of her agility. As part of her opening strike, Ahsoka tried kicking the Sith Lord in order to stun him, only for Vader to avoid her attack in spite of his bulk. The two then hacked at each other with their lightsabers, Ahsoka's speed and power actually succeeding at putting him on the defensive if only for a few seconds. As Vader struck back, Ahsoka sent him sliding back with the Force before leaping towards him. Neither combatant was able to successfully hit the other, so Ahsoka made the decision to lead Vader away from Ezra and the holocron and began walking away backwards slowly but steadily while still fighting.

Realizing what Ahsoka was doing, Ezra got up and tried to retrieve the holocron from the obelisk. However, he wasn't even able to touch the data storage device before being blown back by a burst of energy.

As Ezra recovered from the obelisk repelling him away from the holocron, he heard what sounded like a muffled version of Kanan's voice say, "Looks like it takes two for this kind of job like everything else. No more, no less."

Ezra got back on his feet, feeling overjoyed upon seeing that Kanan and Chopper had shown up even if the former was wearing some kind of mask. "Kanan, Chop, thank the Force!" shouted Ezra. "Hey, why are you wearing that?"

"Short story, but I'll tell you later when I got time," explained Kanan. "Chopper, prep _Phantom_ for immediate takeoff. Ezra, help me to the holocron."

The young Jedi promptly put two and two together and was horrified at what had likely happened to Kanan. "Maul... _blinded_ you, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but we got bigger problems than me being blind," Kanan pointed out. "Now let's go get ourselves that holocron." As Ezra started to help Kanan walk towards the holocron, he asked, "Where's Ahsoka?"

"With Vader."

 _Oh, come on!_ "...fuck."

 ***CUT TO: EXTERIOR OF TOP CHAMBER, SITH PLANETARY BATTLE STATION, MALACHOR IV***

The duel between Vader and Ahsoka was far more difficult for Vader than his previous engagement with Caleb Dume and the Padawan back on Lothal, he reflected. Not only was Vader dealing with an opponent more powerful and experienced than those two put together, but a part of him did not want to kill Ahsoka no matter how much anger, hatred, and pain he summoned up in an effort to remove any sympathies for her. He sensed similar but lesser feelings in her, as though Ahsoka did know who he was in spite of her claims to the contrary. Those were weakness to be exploited, even if Vader still felt semi-reluctant about killing her.

Eventually the two locked blades near the edge of the stone level. Determined to neutralize Ahsoka if only for a brief period, Vader shoved her back with his greater strength then pushed her off with the Force as she stumbled.

 _I severely doubt that she will die from the fall,_ Vader thought as he turned back towards the top chamber where the holocron was. _Most likely she will use the Force to soften her landing. But no matter; it will take me less than a minute at most to deal with the other Jedi._

 ***CUT TO: TOP CHAMBER, SITH PLANETARY BATTLE STATION, MALACHOR IV***

"Just a few more steps, Kanan," Ezra said as they approached the obelisk. "There, now reach! Higher, c'mon! Raise your hand higher! Okay, we almost got it. Grab it on three, okay?"

"Yeah," Kanan replied. "We better hurry."

"One, two, three!" called Ezra, and the two grabbed the holocron simultaneously. "Now pull!"

Despite firm resistance, the pair were able to yank the holocron clear of the obelisk. However, as a consequence of their actions the temple began to collapse.

"Kark me," Ezra muttered as he helped Kanan up and started to help point him in the direction of _Phantom_. If they could sprint rather than walk, they could make it. Ezra would simply need to beat Kanan to the fighter and tell him when to stop.

However, before they could start moving, Vader showed up and grabbed the holocron with the Force. Ezra desperately held on to it, while Kanan grabbed his left arm and did his best to try and stop Ezra from being pulled away even if he knew it to be a futile gesture. _I'd rather die with my Padawan,_ Kanan thought, _then run away like I did when Palps had the clones start shooting at us and get hunted down later._

Luckily enough, Ahsoka charged in just in time to save the day. Vader sensed her coming and turned around, only to be jumped on and have his faceplate sliced open.

Thanking the Force and every deity he could think of, Ezra helped Kanan get moving towards Phantom and safety while calling out for Ahsoka to join them. However, before Ahsoka could start running, she heard something that sent chills down her spine and caused her to widen her eyes.

"Ahsoka."

She turned to find Vader, part of his face exposed. His skin was pale and burned, and his exposed eye had a yellow iris rather than a blue one. But she hadn't heard that voice in more than a decade.

"Ahsoka," Vader repeated, and then Ahsoka knew he was really Anakin. Sure, Anakin's natural voice was accompanied by his unnaturally deep modulated one as well, but she knew it was him.

Vader, the Emperor's tyrannical enforcer, the right-hand man of the most powerful despot in galactic history, a hands-on version of Tarkin... _he and Anakin were the same man._ The Hero With No Fear, the Chosen One her master, the savior of innumerable Jedi, clones, and civilians, and the closest thing she had to a brother had become Darth Vader.

 _No..._ "Anakin," she said in a soft tone. "By the Force, what have you become?"

"Ahsoka, come on!" Ezra yelled. "We gotta get outta here, this whole temple's going to shit!"

Ahsoka took her eyes off Anakin and shoved Ezra back into _Phantom_ with the Force. He screamed, but Kanan was able to grab him and keep him from running off until the ship had been sealed, most likely by Chopper.

Once _Phantom_ took off, Ahsoka looked back to Anakin. Her friends were safe, and though every logical part of Ahsoka screamed at her to get away for the sake of them and everyone else in her life, for the sake of the Rebellion and the galaxy, she couldn't leave Anakin again. It was just too painful to even consider.

 _Now I know why Yoda and the others discouraged attachment._ "I won't leave you, Anakin," said Ahsoka, her voice clear. "Not again."

Anakin seemed to consider it, however, briefly, but then his eye hardened. "Then you will die," he said coldly, igniting his lightsaber.

Ahsoka activated her own weapons. "I may not be able to kill you," she said, "but don't assume this is gonna be easy for you or me."

 ***CUT TO: ARRS _GHOST_ , CHOPPER BASE, CORAL MESA, ATOLLON***

"ARGH!" Zeb screamed. "SABINE, DID YOU LEAVE A PAINT BOMB IN MY ROOM?"

"Hey, you called my _kama_ a skirt!" Sabine shot back. "We're even!"

" _Karabast_ , that was Ezra, not me!" Zeb charged out of his quarters, enraged, only to be photographed by both Sabine and Diana.

"Cut it out, all of you!" Hera said before the situation could further escalate. "Zeb, get back in your quarters! Diana, since you seem to be fine with Sabine's antics, you get to clean up the mess she made with her!"

Everyone, even Diana, complained in a mildly childish manner. "You wanna mess with each other?" stated Hera. "Fine. But while I may be a maternal figure, I am no maid, so I'm not cleaning up the pink paint you guys leave behind."

After Zeb had been cleaned off and Sabine and Diana had cleaned up the pink paint before it could dry, Hera sighed and sipped a cup of caf. Things weren't the same without Kanan and Ezra around. For most of her life Hera hadn't known Kanan, but ever since meeting him on Gorse over seven years ago she couldn't imagine life without her husband. Ezra had also grown on her, for he had gone from a cynical homeless child who largely worked only for his own self-preservation to an idealistic young man who constantly risked his life for others and asked for nothing in return. _A pity,_ Hera reflected, _that war made him and all the other younger Rebels grow up too fast._ Ahsoka she didn't know as well, even if she had been Hera's only link to the rest of the Rebels prior to the rescue of Kanan in the Mustafar system, but she knew her to be a good person and missed her.

As Hera finished off her caf, Ghost's comlink buzzed. "Base Actual to _Ghost_ Actual, come in," came the voice of Colonel West. "Captain Syndulla, do you read me? Over."

She answered. "Reading you five-by-five, Colonel," she told the CO of Chopper Base. "Go ahead, sir."

"Heads up, Captain. Your old man just dropped out of hyperspace, I figured you'd wanna get ready for him. West out."

Hera smiled as she punched the ship intercom. "Listen up, everybody," she said. "Ahsoka, Kanan, and Ezra are coming back, time to form a welcoming committee."

Reynolds's cell, AP-5, Rex, Colonel West, Admiral Ackbar, Colonel Subu, two platoons of Marines, Master Altis and his Jedi, Clan Skirata, and Hera and the rest of the Spectres prepared to greet the returning Jedi at the airfield.

"Something's wrong," Altis said, a worried look on his face.

"Wait, what?" asked Hera, alarmed.

Etain frowned. "I can only feel Kanan and Ezra," she said as _Phantom_ came into view. "I can't detect Ahsoka, and she's stronger in the Force, so I should be feeling her."

 _Phantom_ slowed down and began to land. As she did, River Tam spoke up. "I feel much sadness and a mildly lesser amount of anger aboard that ship," she said. "A tragedy has occurred."

 _Phantom's_ door was raised, and Kanan stepped out, helped along by Ezra. To Hera's immense shock, there was bandages wrapped around Kanan's head that concealed his eyes, and as she moved towards him to comfort Kanan, she thought she could see hints of burns.

 _No, no, no, no..._ Hera thought as she hugged Kanan tightly. Ahsoka wasn't with them, and she knew without asking that things had gone very badly for Kanan and his fellow Jedi.

 ***CUT TO: COCKPIT OF _ARK ANGEL_ , MALACHOR SYSTEM, CHORLIAN SECTOR***

"STRANDED ON M IV," the text-only transmission raid. "REQUIRE IMMEDIATE EXTRACTION. PREPARE PERSONAL CRYO TUBE. TRANSIT TO MUSTAFAR AFTERWARDS."

Luckily enough, coordinates had been included in the transmission. So it had been a simple matter to head to Malachor IV with Doctor Aphra handling the controls while Barriss prepared the cryo tube in the event Lord Vader needed it and readied herself so to make maximum use of her healing powers.

"You know," Aphra said as they entered the atmosphere of the hellish planet, "I actually played a holo game featuring Malachor Five back when I was earning my doctorate. Had to be discrete about it, though."

Barriss decided to talk out of simple politeness. "I heard that game was absolute rubbish," she said, "story-wise."

"Yeah, it wasn't as good as the previous one," replied Aphra. "But hey, it was fun to play, which is what gamers are normally after."

It had taken some time to find a stable spot to land, but Aphra pulled it off. Barriss departed with Triple-Zero (a protocol droid that specialized in torture in addition to translation and etiquette) and BT-1 (a violent blastromech prototype that was deadlier than a B2 super battle droid and more subtle) in tow, instructing Aphra to remain at the controls so they could takeoff as quickly as possible.

Vader was in a poor state when she found him near the smoking ruins of Malachor IV's Sith temple. His faceplate had been sliced open, exposing some of his ruined flesh, he was breathing more heavily than normal, his cape had been torn to shreds, and he was limping.

Barriss did her best to help Vader into the cryo pod alongside Triple-Zero, who didn't kill Vader (though she suspected it was purely out of self-preservation given both Vader's own credentials as a warrior and the fact that Barriss had threatened to painfully dismantle Triple-Zero if he killed her lord).

"In addition to a new helmet for you, my lord," said Barriss, "we will need to call for a meeting of the Dark Assembly."

"That can wait until we get to Mustafar, Barriss," replied Vader, sounding softer than usual. "Now seal me inside."

"Yes, milord," Barriss stated as she complied. For whatever reason, a contour bird with gold and brown plumage flew overhead.

 _Whatever happened here,_ the Mirialan High Inquisitor thought, _it doubtlessly produced heavy casualties._ Since Vader made no mention of Beta-One, Barriss assumed the clone had died. A pity, for Barriss had done her best to assist the Dark Jedi from the edge of the system aboard _Ark Angel_. But in the end, Barriss supposed that something had been accomplished on Malachor IV by the Empire, even if it was only denying the Jedi an asset.

 ***CUT TO: LANDING PAD, EMPEROR'S CITADEL, BYSS***

Serra fought to suppress all feelings of fear she had as she followed two Shadow Guards into the Emperor's Citadel. Fear was something that needed to be controlled, especially in the cutthroat environment of the Imperial Inquisition. The Dark Jedi of the Empire may not have been true Sith, but Serra knew from experience that they certainly acted like it when power plays occured.

The Dark Assembly was composed of the twenty-four leading members of both the Inquisition and the Shadow Guard. Eight Councilors from each organization were regional directors responsible for overseeing the Core Worlds, the Colonies, the Inner Rim, the Expansion Region, the Mid Rim, the Outer Rim, the Unknown Regions, and Wild Space. As the Deep Core was difficult and dangerous to navigate, it was largely unsettled and did not need its own regional directors for oversight as much as the other regions of the galaxy did. Two more Councilors from the Inquisition and Shadow Guard managed training new Dark Jedi for their organizations, two more served as liaisons with the Sith, two more led their organizations, and two more acted as the second-in-command to their respective leader.

Unfortunately, four Councilors had been reported to perish in the Malachor system. Due to that extraordinary event, a meeting of the Dark Assembly had been called by His Imperial Majesty.

The twenty-four ornate thrones that the Dark Assembly sat in, Serra reflected as she entered the Assembly's chambers, were all identical in spite of their differing ranks, positions, and even organizations. This served to reflect that, regardless of individual standing, all members of the Assembly were subordinate to the Sith Lords, especially considering the grander thrones afforded to both the Emperor and Lord Vader, the latter of whom was her brother-in-law.

Palpatine attended the meeting via hologram, as did any of the Assembly members who were also unable to travel to Byss personally. "By now, my servants, all of you have heard of the events on Malachor Four. Thirteen Adepts-including four members of this body-perished in the fight against my enemies. Against _our_ enemies.

"As Malachor Four has deprived the Dark Assembly of a quartet of its finest," Palpatine continued, "trusted individuals must be chosen to fill these vacancies. Countess Vader, please step forward."

Surprised at her Emperor's command, Serra rose from her feet and did as she was commanded, kneeling before the Sith Lord's holographic form and averting eye contact. "What do you wish of me, Your Majesty?" she asked.

"Countess, you are the only Inquisitor alive with the qualifications necessary for Lord Yiaso's successor," the Emperor said. "As such, I will promote you to his former post. Lord Vader will perform the promotion ceremony himself, for I am unable to attend this meeting in person."

Her dark-armored brother-in-law rose from his own throne. Darth-she couldn't come up with a better name, and it was legally his first name now-approached her kneeling form, his lightsaber active. "Countess Vader," he began. "Do you swear upon your blood and the graves of our fallen that you will obey the commands of your Emperor and myself, that you will defend my master's New Order from threats both foreign and domestic?"

"I swear to that, Lord Vader," said Serra in a formal voice. She could already feel the envy of her fellow Dark Jedi; the fact that she was Yiaso's former second and the wife of Darth's brother had been bad enough, but now she would be second only to Sidious and Darth.

"Do you swear, Countess Vader, to die if need be, to sacrifice your own life if the situation demands it?"

"I swear to that, Lord Vader."

"Good, Countess." Vader held his lightsaber over her shoulder blades as he said, "Countess Serra Vader, by the power invested in me-sanctioned by the Force-and by the legal authority I possess-sanctioned by my master, Lord Sidious-I proclaim you to be Grand Inquisitor of the Empire."

 **ME: And this concludes TECD once and for all. I hope you guys are happy. As this took me a while to write and was a bit of a chore (I lost track of how many days it took me to write this chapter), I'm unenthusiastic about adapting Season 3. Not that I really could, especially given all the Jedi in TECD besides the main protagonists of this chapter.**

 **Part of me wonders if I should involve Vektans in my next story arc for TFM.**

 **I didn't mention any cybernetics for Maul because...well...I kinda had to use him, but I didn't want him to show up cut in half. Also, I never liked the idea that the seemingly random pit Maul fell into somehow got him to a garbage ship or whatever. Just imagine Obi-Wan knocked him off a walkway or something and Maul crawled to safety by himself into the Naboo wilderness or something. All else fails, Maul may as well be a Zabrak boomerang. No matter how many times you throw him away, he tends to come back. Seriously, when Obi-Wan finally killed him on Tatooine, I actually was wondering if he was really dead considering all the crap Maul's walked away from.**

 **I included the Imperial Sovereign Protectors as a reference to Crimson Empire. They got slaughtered along with the regular Royal Guardsmen to showcase Maul's badass credentials while freeing up the Dark Jedi for later deaths.**

 **I had Maul suggest that Kanan would benefit from being with Ahsoka more than he would as a more logical way of convincing the Jedi to go along with his wishes.**

 **I was sparse with details on the Shadow Guards being killed because I wanted to save time and not bore you guys, given how Maul probably wouldn't need to get too creative when it came to defeating them. Jerec may be a point of contention, but I think Maul could kill him. While biting Jerec may seem over-the-top on Maul's part, I figured it would be a decent example of Combat Pragmatism.**

 **Okay, I admit Maul's "SOB!" curse was purely an RVB reference, while Ezra firing off 7 shots is a reference to the use of the number seven in Halo. Vader's armor shrugging off said stun rounds is a case of Reality Ensues, since I doubt he'd want to be humiliated like that again or risk getting killed by a lucky shot.**

 **I call the combined Inquisition and Shadow Guard councils the Dark Assembly as a reference to the Dark Council and the Federal Assembly, the national legislature of Russia. "Dark Congress" didn't sound right in my head. I used Yiaso and promoted Serra to Grand Inquisitor because I couldn't think of anything else. Beta-One may have been grown under unusual circumstances...**


End file.
